You may have seen every Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie, but can you name them all in order? You can put that question to the test with this What to Watch quiz.

For the better part of two decades, from 2008 to 2025, the MCU has released 37 movies. They have defined this era of movies, delivering some of the most exciting adventures, incredible action sequences, iconic performances and memorable movie endings. But which characters got their own movie first, Thor or Captain America? Spider-Man or Captain Marvel?

Below you can play the quiz, where you will have eight minutes to correctly guess all 37 Marvel movies in order. We’ve given you the year that each movie was released, but if you’re still stumped you can either get a hint that will give you the first letter of the correct answer or you can pass if you know when other movies come out in the timeline. Reminder, this is just movies that are officially part of the MCU, so we’re not counting movies that were previously made by 20th Century Fox/20th Century Studios.

Can you get all 37 Marvel movies in order? How fast can you do it? Play the quiz directly below.

Disney Plus is the place to stream all Marvel movies, as well as the Marvel original TV series like Loki, WandaVision, Ironheart and more.

Charlie Cox is thrilled to be playing vigilante Daredevil — aka lawyer Matt Murdock — once more in Daredevil: Born Again on Disney Plus, but he'd almost given up hope of it ever happening.

He first played the role for three seasons in the Netflix series Daredevil (and spin-off series The Defenders), receiving acclaim from viewers and critics alike, before the show was unexpectedly canceled in 2018. But you can't keep a good superhero down for long, and fans were delighted when Matt made a cameo in the 2021 film Spider-Man: No Way Home, as well as appearances in the Disney Plus Marvel shows She-Hulk: Attorney At Law and Echo.

Now, finally, Daredevil is back in a rebooted version of his own show that picks up the action sometime after the original's finale, as Matt finds himself going head-to-head once more with mob boss Wilson Fisk (Vincent D'Onofrio), who's running for Mayor of New York City.

We caught up with Charlie to find out more...

Charlie Cox interview for Daredevil: Born Again

Daredevil: Born Again premieres on Disney Plus on March 4 at 6 pm PT/9 pm ET in the US. In the UK, the series premieres on the platform on March 5.

As a millennial who grew up watching cartoons on Saturday mornings with a bowl of cereal, the original X-Men series was a favorite. I loved watching Professor X and his band of mutants like Storm and Wolverine attempt to make this fictional world a more cohesive place to live. Prior to the debut of X-Men '97, I was incredibly excited by the idea of the show and even made mention of it in What to Watch's must-see TV spring shows.

So it's with much joy that I can declare the cartoon as the best "new" series I've seen this year, even with only the first two episodes premiering on Disney Plus. X-Men '97 is also getting love from critics. As of March 21, the series has a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, literally a perfect score. The impressive feat means the series in its opening week is the best-reviewed project of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, besting Avengers: Endgame. 

In a world that recently seems to be suffering from superhero fatigue,  X-Men '97's blooming success is a bit of an anomaly. 

Recent releases Madame Web and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom have Rotten Tomatoes scores of 12% and 34%, respectively, while The Marvels and Blue Beetle fare better with scores of 62% and 78%, but ones that are below the best of the MCU and DC movies. But looking beyond just the scores, it's their box-office performances that lend credibility to the argument that superhero fatigue is indeed a thing. 

The Marvels finished its theatrical run as the lowest-grossing film in the MCU, and Blue Beetle only earned an estimated $100 million at the box office. Put in perspective, The Dark Knight finished its American box-office run with $536 million. 

With all that being said, X-Men ‘97 has a lot going for it. For starters, there are millions of people who are like me and grew up watching the original cartoon. So when the moment came along to see their childhood represented, they had to take it. And unlike some other remakes/continuations of superhero projects I could name, Marvel did a remarkable job at recapturing the essence of the original. 

From the moment the show kicks off with the legendary theme song from the '90s, it hooks the inner kid in viewers. Then as episodes 1 and 2 play out, you're reminded of the richness and entertainment factor of the characters. Sure, over 25 years later some of the costumes and hairdos of the mutants are a little different (Gambit's hair and the maternity look of "Jean" stick out the most), but the heroes are still familiar. And without giving away any spoilers, I'll just say the growth of the mutants in their story arcs is incredible. 

It's also worth pointing out that the series fits in the perfect pocket of being known while not overly done in recent years. Iron Man's release in 2008 kicked off almost 16 years' worth of Avengers content. That's multiple movies starring Iron Man, Thor Captain America and others. While I admittedly enjoyed nearly all these movies, for some, you can reach a point where you know certain characters a little too well, and aren't given an opportunity to miss them. 

Then when Iron Man died and Steve Roger's Captain America gave up the shield, new Avengers were introduced in the MCU. The problem with that is those who aren't comics buffs were forced to learn about new heroes, and for some, that seemingly presented overload. 

Marvel was releasing two to three new movies a year at one point, and then introducing ancillary heroes sprouting off their initial bunch of onscreen Avengers. That can become a lot for moviegoers who enjoy MCU films but aren't as familiar with the comics. Not to mention the expansion of more stories and characters on Disney Plus to keep track of. 

To quote another famous movie, "There's no place like home," and X'Men '97 feels like home. The original series is where many people like me cut their teeth with Marvel. After spending nearly two decades in the realm of Avengers, who've been forced to ignore the world of X-Men thanks to issues of rights and ownership (though that is now over), it feels as if I'm going back to where it all started. Of course, Bryan Singer had a theatrical run with X-Men over at Fox and there were subsequent cartoons after the original X-Men series, but none of them resonated with me as strongly due to various issues.  

X'Men '97 honestly just strikes all the right chords, and dare I say, so far, I actually like the new show better. It's appropriately taken the baton and is successfully running the course, accounting for what present times now rationalize as suitable for younger audiences. It's doing such a good job that I can only hope for great things when MCU releases its first X-Men-related franchise this July with Deadpool & Wolverine. 

Now has X-Men '97 cured superhero fatigue in general? I can't say that. However, the nostalgia of the series has managed to lift it past fatigue and more to a stage of excitement and invigoration. 

X-Men ‘97 is available to stream on Disney Plus with new episodes premiering on Wednesdays. 

After a shocking season premiere, the next Marvel TV show Secret Invasion continues with new episodes each Wednesday, and you're going to want to figure out how to keep watching the show to get over the many twists and turns of the first episode.

There have already been plenty of spy shows in 2023, between Netflix's The Night Agent and The Diplomat and Prime Video's Citadel and Jack Ryan season 4, and Secret Invasion contines that TV trend with a Marvel twist. It follows Samuel L. Jackson's recurring character Nick Fury as he protects the world.

Earth has been invaded by shape-shifting aliens and Jackson tasks himself with stopping this secret invasion, teaming up with more Marvel veterans including Cobie Smulders, Ben Mendelsohn, Martin Freeman and Don Cheadle, as well as newcomers to the series including Olivia Colman, Kingsley Ben-Adir and Emilia Clarke. This is set to be a real who's who of acting talent.

If you're interested in watching the new show, whether it's because you're a Marvel fan or just love spy shows, here's how to watch Secret Invasion.

How to watch Secret Invasion

Secret Invasion is exclusive to Disney's streaming platform, Disney Plus, so you'll need to be subscribed to this platform to watch the show.

In the US, Disney Plus costs $7.99 for the tier that includes ads, or $10.99 for the ad-free tier (and you can get an annual membership for those tiers for $79.99/$109.99, respectively). Many choose to sign up via the Disney Bundle, which at $9.99 also gets you Hulu (and other optional plans add ESPN Plus too). In the UK, Disney Plus costs £7.99 per month or £79.90 for an annual plan, but a lack of Hulu in the country means there's no Disney Bundle.

Secret Invasion FAQs

• Episode 1 — Wednesday, June 21
• Episode 2 — Wednesday, June 28
• Episode 3 — Wednesday, July 5
• Episode 4 — Wednesday, July 12
• Episode 5 — Wednesday, July 19
• Episode 6 — Wednesday, July 26

After being given the shield by Chris Evans' Steve Rogers in Avengers: Endgame and officially accepting the mantle in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Anthony Mackie leads his very own Captain America movie for the MCU with Captain America: Brave New World.

The movie is the fourth Captain America movie in the MCU, taking place in Phase 5 of the ongoing cinematic universe. But how will Mackie's Sam Wilson fit into the new regime of Avengers? And what new foe will he face?

While we'll have to wait and see to get definitive answers on all of that, here's what we know about Captain America: Brave New World.

Captain America: Brave New World how to watch

Captain America: Brave New World is playing exclusively in movie theaters worldwide. Here's what you need to know about how to watch Captain America: Brave New World.

It is the first of three new Marvel movies releasing in 2025, with the other two being Thunderbolts and The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Captain America: Brave New World cast

Anthony Mackie has been in the MCU since Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but now his Sam Wilson is the official Captain America, leading the way for this new movie. Mackie is a Hollywood veteran, having starred in the likes of Million Dollar Baby, The Hurt Locker, The Adjustment Bureau and Twisted Metal.

While Mackie is taking over the Captain America mantle, Harrison Ford is taking on a legacy MCU role, but under different circumstances. Ford was cast as Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross following the passing of William Hurt, who had played the character since The Incredible Hulk. Ford is a screen legend who does not appear to be slowing down despite his age. Just last year he reprised his classic character Indiana Jones for the final time with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and had a hit TV show with 1923.

Thunderbolt Ross isn't the only connection to The Incredible Hulk appearing in Brave New World. Tim Blake Nelson is reprising his role of Dr. Samuel Sterns from the early Marvel movie, as is Liv Tyler, who played Betty Ross, Thunderbolt Ross' daughter and love interest to Bruce Banner (does that mean a Mark Ruffalo cameo is possible?).

Other confirmed cast members for Captain America: Brave New World are The Falcon and the Winter Soldier stars Carl Lumbly and Danny Ramirez, reprising their roles of Isaiah Bradley and Joaquin Torress, respectively. Also making their return to the MCU. New to Marvel are Shira Haas (Unorthodox), who is playing a character named Sabra, Giancarlo Esposito as a mysterious new villain and Xosha Roquemore (The Sex Lives of College Girls).

Captain America: Brave New World plot

Here is the synopsis for Captain America: Brave New World from Marvel:

"Anthony Mackie returns as the high-flying hero Sam Wilson, who’s officially taken up the mantle of Captain America. After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red."

Captain America: Brave New World trailer

Watch the Captain America: Brave New World trailers directly below:

Watch the official trailer for Captain America: Brave New World right here, which definitely leans into political thriller genre vibes:

Captain America: Brave New World reviews

See what critics have been saying about Captain America: Brave New World via Rotten Tomatoes.

Captain America: Brave New World director

Leading things behind the camera for Captain America: Brave New World as the director is Julius Onah. Onah's most recent movie was the 2019 indie movie Luce, though he does have experience with some bigger, more effects driven movies, having also directed The Cloverfield Paradox.

Captain America: Brave New World behind the scenes

What to Watch colleagues got to take part in a panel on Captain America: Brave New World in London on January 31 featuring stars Mackie, Ford and Ramirez, as well as director Onah. Here are some of the notable quotes:

Anthony Mackie on how his younger self would react to him playing Captain America:

"My younger self would be very surprised. I would hope he would be proud. I would hope he would be as excited as I am. I know he would be very overwhelmed emotionally and appreciative. Coming from New Orleans and the neighborhood that I grew up in, which was a great neighborhood, the idea of going outside of that and reaching this far outside the boundaries of my confines wasn’t seen or even could be dreamed of. So to now be sitting here and to see this, that was never in my purview, I just wanted to do Shakespeare plays and Ibsen. It’s just amazing."

Harrison Ford on joining Marvel:

"I’m beginning to understand it’s a big family and I’m a small part of it. I’m glad to be here. I’ve always watched them and the attraction of Marvel films for me is watching wonderful actors have a good time playing. So when the opportunity came along for me to be a part of it I was grateful for the opportunity. It’s a whole new genre and a new audience for me. It was fun."

Danny Ramirez on how his character mirrors his own journey:

"...[T[here’s a beautiful life imitating art and art imitating life moment where I will show up to set and realise that Joaquin’s journey and my journey parallels quite perfectly. Many days all I had to do for character work was watch Anthony on set and see how he navigated and how I could help. That made the job incredibly easy."

Captain America: Brave New World is produced by Kevin Feige and Nate Moore.

To paraphrase the great Billy Joel, summer means "cold beers, hot nights" and blockbuster movies.

Though the start of summer isn't until June 21, the summer movie season starts in earnest in May and runs through August. With the slate of 2023 movies coming out over the summer months, there are plenty of options for multiple visits to the movie theaters this summer.

We at What to Watch have plenty that we're excited to see over the next four months, from big action movies to alternative indie movies playing both in theaters and streaming at home. But for the purposes of this preview post, we're sticking with the big tentpole movies that give blockbusters their name.

Read on to see what movie we have ranked as our most anticipated blockbuster movie of the summer.

12. The Little Mermaid (May 26)

The Little Mermaid is absolutely something that we are looking forward to this summer. Featuring Grown-ish star Halle Bailey as Ariel and Bridesmaids funny lady Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, the movie places is the latest live-action adaptation on a Disney classic. Not only is there some long-built-up anticipation to listen to retooled versions of the hit songs "Part of Your World" and "Under the Sea," but we hear that Ursula is getting a different backstory this go around, which should prove interesting for those of us that have seen the animated movie one or 20 times. — Terrell Smith

11. No Hard Feelings (June 23)

It wouldn't be summer without a broad comedy. Throw in Jennifer Lawrence and you have our attention. In No Hard Feelings, the Oscar-winning actress stars as a down-on-her-luck delivery driver who gets the opportunity for some much needed cash if she helps bring a painfully awkward teenager out of his shell before he heads off to college. Director Gene Stupnitsky was behind the hilarious 2019 hit comedy, Good Boys, can he do it again? We've got a good feeling about this one. — Michael Balderston 

10. The Last Voyage of the Demeter (August 11)

Horror movies can no longer just be contained to Halloween season, as a number of horror movies are coming out as part of the summer blockbuster season. But the one that we're most looking forward tells a different version of a classic movie monster, Dracula.

The Last Voyage of the Demeter is based on a single chapter from Bram Stoker's original novel about Dracula's journey to London, where the entire crew of the Demeter vanishes without a trace. But how does that happen? This movie will hopefully tell us in fantastically gory detail. — Michael Balderston

9. Elemental (June 16 US, July 7 UK)

This summer, Disney and Pixar are whisking us away to Element City, where citizens of all four elements — air, earth, fire and water —live and work. The golden rule seems to be that they cannot mix, which is precisely what happens when Wade (Mamoudou Athie) splashes down in Firetown after a plumbing incident gone wrong and meets Ember (Leah Lewis). 

Elemental looks every bit as creative and visually impressive as you want a new Disney/Pixar adventure to be, packed full of color and life. I'm excited to go on this next journey with our new young heroes. — Martin Shore 

8. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (now playing)

It's the end of the road for Star Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, Groot and Mantis. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 promises to be one of the biggest hits of the summer as the Guardians face the music one last time. Speaking of music, we're excited to get another killer soundtrack from James Gunn, loaded with retro Top-40 hits as well as B-side gems. It's also Gunn's Marvel Studios swan song as he focused on his work at DC. All in all, GOTG Vol. 3 should deliver action, adventure and plenty of nostalgia as the Guardians fly off into the sunset. — Sarabeth Pollock

Read What to Watch's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 review right here, as welll as get all the info you need on how to watch the sequel.

7. Fast X (May 19)

When I think of a summer blockbuster, I think of all-out action and explosions aplenty. And this summer, we're being reunited once again with Dominic Torreto (Vin Diesel) and the family in Fast X as they do battle with drugs kingpin Dante Reyes (Jason Momoa), who's seeking revenge after Dom and Co. took out his father way back in Fast Five. 

Everything we've seen so far suggests we're getting all the best parts of the Fast franchise. Expect even more bombastic action and souped-up supercars as Dom and his crew take on their most terrifying foe yet. — Martin Shore 

6. Barbie (July 21)

The hype around Barbie has been huge, largely due to the fact that it's got such an intriguing ensemble cast. Stars like Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell, Helen Mirren, Simu Liu, Michael Cera, Kate McKinnon, John Cena, Alexandra Ship, Emerald Fennell and Emma Mackey are all part of the big line-up. 

With Little Women's Greta Gerwig at the helm, we certainly have a lot of faith that she will deliver one of the biggest summer movies, transporting us to the colorful, whimsical world of Barbieland and beyond. There's still a bit of mystery surrounding the movie and we can't wait to see what happens. — Lucy Buglass

5. The Flash (June 16)

The Flash is one of the greatest Hollywood mysteries we've seen in a long time. Its behind the scenes drama of multiple directors, release dates, complications with Ezra Miller and the new direction of DC movies is fascinating. Then there's Tom Cruise, who hasn't made a movie with Warner Bros. since Edge of Tomorrow so has no real reason to lie, raving about the movie. Amid all the changes at Warner Bros. Discovery, The Flash has stayed afloat. Does it truly have the goods to back all that up? We can't wait to find out. — Michael Balderston

4. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (June 2)

We've seen plenty of Spider-Man movies before, but we had never seen anything like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse when it hit screens in 2018. Five years is a long time to wait, but we are finally getting to continue Miles Morales' story with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which is set to feature more alternate dimension Spider-Men and Women than you can sling a web at. Even in a summer with the third Guardians of the Galaxy movie and the much hyped The Flash, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is our most anticipated superhero movie of the season. — Michael Balderston 

3. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (June 30 US, June 28 UK)

Now, this is seriously exciting! Harrison Ford is swashbuckling his way onto the screen for a final glorious time as Indiana. The buzz around the movie, set in the middle of the Space Race, suggests this is going to be a corker and hopefully get near the heights of the first movie, Raiders of the Lost Arc. Obviously, there are some Nazis thrown in — "Nazis. I hate these guys" — with Mads Mikkelsen starring as the chief villain. Plus Phoebe Waller-Bridge joins the party as Indiana's goddaughter Helena and the legendary John Williams is providing the score. — David Hollingsworth

2. Oppenheimer (July 21)

I'll be the first to admit how disappointed I was with Christopher Nolan's last movie, Tenet, but that does not damper the excitement over Oppenheimer one bit. This star-studded movie (Cillian Murphy, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Robert Downey Jr., Gary Oldman and more) is not your typical blockbuster fare — focusing on the "father" of the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer — but Christopher Nolan does not do small, so we can only expect he is going to tell an epic story. Oh, and he reportedly recreated a nuclear explosion without CGI, and that we've got to see on the big screen. — Michael Balderston 

1. Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One (July 14)

Can Tom Cruise have the biggest summer blockbuster two years in a row? That's TBD, but at the very least Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One is our most anticipated summer blockbuster of 2023. The Mission: Impossible franchise has been on an absolute tear with its last few movies, and Dead Reckoning is the first of the planned two part conclusion for the franchise and features what is being described as Tom Cruise's biggest stunt yet. Tom Cruise putting life and limb on the line again for our entertainment? Count us in. — Michael Balderston 

In some great news for Marvel fans, Samuel L. Jackson reprises his role as Nick Fury in the Disney Plus original series Secret Invasion. 

It’s hard to believe that the last time viewers spotted Fury was in 2019’s Spider-Man: Far from Home. If you’ll recall, he was seen in the film’s post-credits in some kind of Skrulls research facility. He wasn’t being held captive by the shapeshifting alien species, but rather appeared to be doing what he does best — leading. If you need a refresher, we’ve got you covered. Take a look at the post-credit clip below.  

Fans have to watch the new series to see how Fury’s time with the Skrulls ultimately put him on a new covert mission to preserve the world order in the Marvel universe. But one thing is for certain: it’s good to have the old guard of the MCU make a return, as Nick Fury has been around since 2008’s Iron Man. 

Here’s everything we know about Secret Invasion.  

When is the Secret Invasion release date? 

Secret Invasion premiered on Wednesday, June 21, on Disney Plus with the first episode. The remaining episodes of the season will be released on the subsequent Wednesdays. 

Secret Invasion episode guide

Here's an episode guide for season 1. Episode 6, the season 1 finale, became available to stream on July 26.

Episode 1: "Resurrection"
"Nick Fury learns about the Skrulls and their invasion."

Episode 2: "Promises"
"Following a dramatic attack, Fury must grapple with his past and present as the Skrull invasion begins. Tensions rise between Fury and his former allies as he tries to figure out the scale of the threat."

Episode 3: "Betrayed"
"Fury uncovers a rebel Skrull plot that is more dangerous than anything he's encountered before." 

 Episode 4: "Beloved"
"Fury must make some hard sacrifices."

Episode 5: "Harvest"
"Fury gathers his allies; Gravik deals with unrest."

Episode 6: "Home"  

Secret Invasion trailer and promo clips

On June 13, Marvel released a first-look clip of the series featuring Maria and Nick in the midst of a conversation. For Marvel fans, it should feel good to see the pair back together on screen. 

Another official trailer debuted on May 21. If you thought the multiverse was layered and exciting, wait until you get a Marvel world where clones (Skrulls) are attempting to take over. 

On May 10, Marvel released a featurette with the cast that gives fans a little more about what they can look forward to with the series. We've certainly missed Nick Fury. 

On April 2, Marvel released the second trailer for the series. A standout quote from the new clip is one that many MCU fans have been asking. "Where are the Avengers?" 

One of the standout lines from the trailer is Nick Fury stating, "I'm the last person standing between them and what they really want." That naturally begs the question, what does this faction of Skrulls want? Check out the trailer.  

Who is in the Secret Invasion cast? 

Again, fronting the Secret Invasion series is none other than Samuel L. Jackson playing Nick Fury. There is a good reason that Jackson has been affectionately nicknamed "the hardest working man in Hollywood." The A-list actor has been featured in some of the world's most popular movies over the past several decades. He’s been in things ranging from 1988’s Coming to America to 2002’s Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones. He’s played Shaft in the Shaft films, Darius Kincaid in both The Hitman’s Bodyguard and the Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard and of course, Nick Fury in the Avenger films. Most recently, he’s portrayed Ptolemy Grey in The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey. 

In some exciting news for Game of Thrones fans, Emilia Clarke is making her debut in the MCU. While her character is still being kept under lock and key, based on the footage in the trailer, it looks like she is playing a fierce force not to be taken lightly. Although, this time around she’ll presumably be without dragons. 

Other new additions to the MCU for Secret Invasion include Olivia Colman (The Crown, Heartstoppers) and Kingsley Ben-Adir (One Night in Miami..., Peaky Blinders).

Rounding out the principal cast is Ben Mendolsohn (Captain Marvel, Bloodline), who has been the main Skrull featured in the MCU to date, Talos.

Also making a return to the MCU but not marketed as main cast members are Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother) as Maria Hill, Don Cheadle (Black Monday) as Rhodey and Martin Freeman (Breeders) as Everett K. Ross. 

What is Secret Invasion about? 

Marvel describes the Secret Invasion plot as the following: 

"Secret Invasion stars Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Ben Mendelsohn as the Skrull Talos — characters who first met in Captain Marvel. They are joined by Kingsley Ben-Adir, Emilia Clarke and Olivia Colman. The crossover event series showcases a faction of shapeshifting Skrulls who have been infiltrating Earth for years."

How to watch Secret Invasion

Secret Invasion airs exclusively on Disney Plus. Those hoping to watch the series will want to make sure they have a subscription to the service. Currently, Disney Plus is offered as both a standalone service and as a part of a packaged deal via the Disney Bundle, which includes Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus.  

After being well established in two previous outings and a key role in Avengers: Endgame, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is set to kick off MCU Phase 5. While the previous two Ant-Man and the Wasp movies were fairly smaller, stand-alone adventures featuring Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly, Quantumania is expected to forever impact the MCU with the inclusion of the new, eagerly anticipated big bad — Kang the Conqueror. 

But who is Kang? What does he have to do with Scott Lang or the Van Dynes? We explore the answers to all of these questions and more right here.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania release date

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is officially scheduled for release globally on February 17, 2023.

Like most of Marvel Studios’ post-Infinity Saga release dates, Quantumania was impacted by the pandemic, and has since shifted around the MCU release schedule multiple times. It was originally set for 2022 before finally landing on this early 2023 date.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania plot

Marvel has released an official plot synopsis for the latest Ant-Man and the Wasp movie, give it a read right here:

"Super-Hero partners Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne return to continue their adventures as Ant-Man and the Wasp. Together, with Hope’s parents Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne, the family finds themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond the limits of what they thought was possible."

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania trailer

Marvel has teased us with a fresh look at Quantumania in a new trailer. There's even more trippy visuals from the Quantum Realm on display, a tense battle with Kang, and a brief glimpse at Corey Stoll as MODOK (which, cheerily, stands for Mental Organism Designed Only For Killing). Check it out here:

The official trailer for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is here (rejoice Marvel fans). Using the classic Elton John song "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," the trailer takes viewers into the Quantum realm, where Scott, Hope and everyone else must navigate their way home, and a questionable ally offers to do just that. Check out the trailer  below: 

Also take a behind-the-scenes look at the latest Marvel movie, which includes a couple of new clips.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania cast

Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly are of course returning as Scott Lang/Ant-Man and Hope Van Dyne/The Wasp. While Scott is enjoying his heroic success, Lilly has stated at Comic-Con that Quantumania dives more into her vulnerabilities as a character, after having been a beacon of strength in all of her previous appearances.

Kathryn Newton (Freaky, Pokemon: Detective Pikachu) takes over the role of Cassie Lang, who was previously played by Abby Ryder Fortson in the previous two films and Emma Fuhrman in Avengers: Endgame. It’s rumored that Cassie dons the Stature suit in this film.

Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer return as Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne. Pfeiffer in particular is a welcome presence, given she did not receive much screen time in the second film or Avengers: Endgame (apart from a single shot during the Stark funeral scene in that movie). Getting answers regarding how she received the Quantum Energy abilities we see her using on Ghost at the end of Ant-Man and the Wasp are in order.

It was also confirmed Randall Park is returning as Jimmy Woo. Woo was introduced in Ant-Man and the Wasp, but also reprised his role during WandaVision. Perhaps he and Scott finally get that dinner.

Bill Murray is also in the movie. His presence has been confirmed in the trailers and it seems as if he’s an old acquaintance of Janet’s from within the Quantum Realm. How they know each other however is currently still unknown.

And finally, Jonathan Majors is playing the next major villain for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Kang the Conqueror. We know Majors portrayed Kang’s variant, He Who Remains, in Loki, but as that version of the character explained, his variants are supposed to be much worse. How much worse? Let’s just put it this way: the next Avengers film, set to debut in May 2025 is called Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. We think Scott Lang is going to have a pretty hard time dealing with this guy. 

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania reviews — what the critics are saying

What's the word from critics on the latest Marvel movie? What to Watch's own Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania review called the beginning of the MCU's Phase 5 a rocky start, but praised the performances of Marvel newcomers Jonathan Majors and Kathryn Newton.

The general consensus, per Rotten Tomatoes, has the movie teetering on the border of "Fresh" and "Rotten." As of 3 pm ET on February 14, Quantumania has an official score of 60%.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania director

Peyton Reed is returning to direct Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, having previously directed the first two Ant-Man movies. Originally known as the director of Bring it On, Reed has recently found success in genre with both the Ant-Man and the Wasp saga and several episodes of The Mandalorian (including the massively well received season 2 finale).

Since the dawn of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it has been rare for any director to stay with a particular solo-franchise after two films. Jon Favreau gave up directorial responsibilities after Iron Man 2. Scott Derrickson left Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Thor has seen a revolving door of directors (though Taika Waititi has directed the last two). Reed is, surprisingly, only the second director to complete a trilogy for the MCU (the first being Jon Watts of the Spider-Man/Tom Holland trilogy). 

How will Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania impact the MCU?

Monumentally. As previously stated, this movie is going to introduce Kang the Conqueror. Everything that happens with Kang is going to lead up to 2025’s Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and likely Avengers: Secret Wars; the cappers to the entire Multiverse Saga. But it all has to start with the events of Quantumania first, which is why Feige has explicitly chosen this film to be the official kick off of Phase 5.

MCU films

The Marvel Cinematic Universe began in 2008 but just keeps chugging along. Here are all of the movies that make up the MCU, including the already announced movies coming down the road:

MCU Phase 1

• Iron Man (May 2, 2008)
• The Incredible Hulk (June 13, 2008)
• Iron Man 2 (May 7, 2010)
• Thor (May 6, 2011)
• Captain America: The First Avenger (July 22, 2011)
• Marvel's The Avengers (May 4, 2012)

MCU Phase 2

• Iron Man 3 (May 3, 2013)
• Thor: The Dark World (Nov. 8, 2013)
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4, 2014)
• Guardians of the Galaxy (Aug. 1, 2014)
• Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1, 2015)
• Ant-Man (July 17, 2015)

MCU Phase 3

• Captain America: Civil War (May 6, 2016)
• Doctor Strange (Nov. 4, 2016)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (May 5, 2017)
• Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 7, 2017)
• Thor: Ragnarok (Nov. 3, 2017)
• Black Panther (Feb. 16, 2018)
• Avengers: Infinity War (April 27, 2018)
• Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 6, 2018)
• Captain Marvel (March 8, 2019)
• Avengers: Endgame (April 26, 2019)
• Spider-Man: Far From Home (July 2, 2019)

MCU Phase 4

• Black Widow (July 9, 2021)
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (September 3, 2021)
• Eternals (November 5, 2021)
• Spider-Man: No Way Home (December 17, 2021)
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (May 6, 2022)
• Thor: Love and Thunder (July 8, 2022)
• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (November 11, 2022)

MCU Phase 5

• Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (February 17, 2023)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (May 5, 2023)
• The Marvels (July 28, 2023)
• Blade (November 3, 2023)
• Captain America: New World Order (May 3, 2024)
• Thunderbolts (July 26, 2024)

MCU Phase 6

• Fantastic Four (November 8, 2024)
• Avengers: The Kang Dynasty (May 2, 2025)
• Avengers: Secret Wars (November 7, 2025)

It’s time for She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and like everyone’s original favorite green superhero, "you wouldn’t like her when she’s angry." Or perhaps you might, because that means some entertaining fight sequences are bound to take place. 

Given that most members of the core group of Avengers seem to be passing the baton to new characters, it was only a matter of time before the Hulk would get his turn with his own protégé. Hawkeye found a mentee in Kate Bishop, Black Widow has Yelena Belova primed to replace her and Steve Rogers literally gave his shield to Sam Wilson, aka the new Captain America. 

Now it’s time for the big guy to help his cousin Jennifer Walters step into her role as the newest Marvel hero. Here’s everything we know about the She-Hulk: Attorney at Law series.  

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law episode guide

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law has been an exciting ride for viewers. Not only have Wong, Hulk, Abomination and Daredevil made appearances, but something about the way She-Hulk continued breaking the fourth wall is very reminiscent of Deadpool, and it seemed to just work. 

The season finale premiered on October 13. Take a look at the series episode guide below. 

Episode 1: "A Normal Amount of Rage"
"Jen Walters’ world is turned upside down after a freak accident leaves her with superpowers." 

Episode 2: "Superhuman Law"
"Jen is hired at a prestigious law firm but must practice as She-Hulk and rep a complicated client." 

Episode 3: "The People vs. Emil Blonsky"
"She-Hulk represents Emil Blonsky aka The Abomination, but his parole hearing doesn’t go as planned."

Episode 4: "Is This not Real Magic?"
"She-Hulk’s new client Wong is suing a magician for unauthorized use of the Mystic Arts."

Episode 5: "Mean, Green and Straight Poured into These Jeans"
"She-Hulk discovers Titania owns the name 'She-Hulk' and is suing her for trademark infringement." 

Episode 6: "Just Jen"
"Jen is a bridesmaid in a friend’s wedding, a stressful event compounded by uniquely She-Hulk issues."  

Episode 7: "The Retreat"
"Jen visits Blonsky’s wellness retreat, meets new friends and gets in touch with her inner She-Hulk."  

Episode 8: "Ribbit and Rip It"
"She-Hulk represents Leap-Frog who was injured due to a malfunction in his custom-made super suit."  

Episode 9: "Whose Show Is This?"
"Jen finds herself in trouble with the law and struggles to pick up the pieces of her life." 

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law plot 

Marvel describes the plot of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law by stating: 

"She-Hulk: Attorney at Law follows Jennifer Walters as she navigates the complicated life of a single, 30-something attorney who also happens to be a green 6-foot-7-inch superpowered hulk. The nine-episode series welcomes a host of MCU vets, including Mark Ruffalo as Smart Hulk, Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky/the Abomination and Benedict Wong as Wong."

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law trailer and promo videos

Hours before the series premiere, Marvel released one more promo clip. Like the Hulk, you don't want to make She-Hulk angry. 

With only a few days left before the series premiere, Marvel released a She-Hulk attorney ad on August 15. It's literally a commercial promoting her legal services. Take a look for yourself. 

On August 14, Marvel released a clip with some of the major players expected to make a splash in the series. We especially like to see Abomination reenter the canvas. 

Marvel isn't short on the promo clips. They released a second one on August 12, and this time it seems She-Hulk is fascinated with Captain America's (Steve Rogers) love life. 

On August 12, Marvel released a promo video where She-Hulk can be seen flexing her muscles. Were you able to catch on to all the references she made in the last few seconds to other heroes in the Marvel universe? 

As fans of Mark Ruffalo’s version of the Hulk, can we just say how glad we are to see him back on the screen?  But it's also fun to see Tatiana Maslany get the chance to go green. Check out the She-Hulk trailer directly below.

Thanks to the good people over at Marvel, we another trailer. Take a look. 

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law cast 

Leading the way as the titular character in the series is Tatiana Maslany. The Emmy-Award-winning actress should certainly be a familiar face for viewers, having starred in the critically-acclaimed series Orphan Black. Additionally, she’s been in projects like the Perry Mason series and the 2017 movie Stronger. 

Also featured in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is Mark Ruffalo. Ruffalo is a longtime vet in the MCU, having starred as the Hulk in the Avenger movies. The three-time Oscar nominee has furthermore had roles in The Adam Project, Dark Waters, Spotlight and a host of other films and television shows. 

Joining Maslany and Ruffalo are a number of talented actors and actresses including Tim Roth (Sundown), Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness), Ginger Gonzaga (Kenan), Josh Segarra (Arrow), Jameela Jamil (The Good Place), Renée Elise Goldsberry (Girls5eva) and Jon Bass (Baywatch).  

How to watch She-Hulk: Attorney at Law 

She-Hulk: Attorney at Law is a Marvel series airing exclusively on Disney Plus. Those hoping to watch need to have a subscription to the streaming service. The good news is there are options, as Disney Plus is available as either a standalone service, part of the Disney Bundle or included as a feature of Hulu with Live TV.

The MCU is evolving. The end of the Infinity Saga gave rise to the next saga of the Marvel Cinematic Universe: the Multiverse Saga. Kicking off with Phase 4, the Multiverse Saga continues with MCU Phase 5 and MCU Phase 6 across multiple movies and TV shows.

Phase 4 kicked off in 2021, featuring WandaVision, Black Widow, Loki, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Eternals, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Ms. Marvel, Thor: Love and Thunder and more, wrapping up with the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in November 2022, 

MCU Phase 5 begins in 2023 with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, with its gamut of titles ending in in the summer of 2024.

From there, where will MCU Phase 6 head? The outline was shared at San Diego Comic-Con 2022, here's a breakdown of the films revealed so far for the final phase of The Multiverse Saga:

Fantastic Four

Release date: February 14, 2025
Cast:  TBD
Director: TBD
What you need to know: Marvel's "First Family" is getting their official MCU debut with Fantastic Four. Given the recent appearance of an 838-Universe Reed Richards in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, we have an official confirmation that a variant of Richards exists in the main MCU. Whether or not that version is played by John Krasinski is another story entirely (though some hope not). Rumors and speculation are always running rampant.

Avengers: The Kang Dynasty

Release date: May 2, 2025
Cast:  TBD
Director: Destin Daniel Cretton
What you need to know: Kevin Feige announced that The Multiverse Saga will culminate with the release of two Avengers movies: The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars. We know Kang (Jonathan Majors) is being introduced in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and we were warned of his arrival in Loki. Seems like he's going to be enough to gather the forces of Earth's Mightiest Heroes to stop him. Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton is directing the next installment in the Avengers series.

Avengers: Secret Wars

Release date: May 1, 2026
Cast:  TBD
Director: TBD
What you need to know: Literally nothing is known about Avengers: Secret Wars apart from the fact that it will be released eight months after The Kang Dynasty, leading to speculation that something about The Kang Dynasty ends in a cliffhanger leading into Secret Wars. 

Given that the 2015 Hickman storyline (not to be confused with the 1984 storyline) had to do with incursions, Doctor Doom getting godlike powers from The Beyonder and a new universe called Battleworld, it's not far fetched to assume Secret Wars deals with Doom and incursions, especially given the release of Fantastic Four one year prior and the concepts of incursions being introduced in Multiverse of Madness after being made possible by Loki and Sylvie in Loki. We're through the looking glass now.

As of now, these are the only three releases teased for Phase 6 of the MCU. More are likely to be revealed in the future, including possible release dates for Shang-Chi 2, Amor Wars and others. That being said, anyone looking for the new direction of the MCU need look no further. The mic has been dropped and silenced naysayers by revealing the ambitious three0year gameplan.

Following the events of Avengers: Endgame, which saw an official close to The Infinity Saga, fans have been on pins and needles to know what's next for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Things got started with the MCU's Phase 4, which not only features several films but introduced multi-episode, long form television series debuting on Disney Plus.

Over the last three years (postponed in part because of the pandemic) Phase 4 has said goodbye to beloved characters and hello to many more. With shows like WandaVision, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, What If, Hawkeye, Moon Knight and Ms. Marvel and She-Hulk. On the film side, the world said an official goodbye to Natasha Romanoff in Black Widow, but  also said hello to Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh). Audiences also met Shang-Chi and The Eternals in their respective films, while familiar faces like Spider-Man, Doctor Strange and Thor also got new movies. 

While exits and entrances have been the big focus, at San Diego Comic Con 2022 it was revealed what Phase 4, which wraps up with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, was building up to: the next great saga in the MCU — the Multiverse Saga. Phase 4 is the first leg of this new chapter, with Phase 5 set to really kick the overarching story into high gear with a bevy of new movies and TV shows.

Here is a breakdown of everything coming our way with MCU Phase 5:

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Release date: February 17, 2023
Cast:  Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, Kathryn Newton, Jonathan Majors
Director: Peyton Reed
What you need to know: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania kicks off Phase 5. After saving the world in the events of Avengers: Endgame, Scott Lang has immersed himself in the glory of being a hero and writing a book. However, at home, things are shakey as Cassie, now a full grown teen, has begun getting into trouble with the law. Scott's attempts to smooth things over with his daughter are soon interrupted, however, when an experiment goes wrong and Scott, Cassie and the Pym/Van Dyne clan are sucked into the Quantum Realm. There, Scott faces his most menacing foe yet: Kang the Conqueror.

Prepare for surprises with this one. It's going to be a big piece of The Multiverse Saga storyline. Jonathan Majors makes his Marvel Studios film debut as Kang (he debuted as a variant of Kang called "He Who Remains" in Loki season 1). At San Diego Comic Con, director Peyton Reed confirmed MODOK will appear in the film, as will Bill Murray in an undisclosed role. 

Secret Invasion

Release date: Spring 2023
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Colbie Smulders, Ben Mendelsohn, Don Cheadle, Olivia Coleman, Emilia Clarke, Kingsley Ben-Adir
Showrunner: Kyle Bradstreet
What you need to know: Secret Invasion is being billed as a paranoid conspiracy thriller in the tradition of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The series takes off from the events of Spider-Man: Far From Home, where it was revealed that Nick Fury (Jackson) was off planet and Skrull buddy Talos (Mendelsohn) was subbing for him. Not much else is known about the plot or who Coleman, Clarke and Ben-Adir are playing. But it's expected to be a grounded thriller.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Release date: May 5, 2023
Cast: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Sean Gunn, Will Poulter, Chukwudi Iwuji, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Maria Bakalova
Director: James Gunn
What you need to know: There was a time where Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was going to be directed by another filmmaker, but luckily Marvel Studios brought back James Gunn back to helm the final chapter in his space opera series. We know the plot revolves around Quill (Pratt) searching for the time displaced Gamora (Saldana), as well as diving into the backstory of Rocket Raccoon (Cooper) and introducing the MCU to Adam Warlock (Poulter) and Cosmo the Space Dog (Bakalova). We also know this is the final film featuring this iteration of the Guardians. What will happen to them and why? We'll just have to wait until May 2023 to find out.

Echo

Release date: Summer 2023
Cast: Alaqua Cox
Showrunner: Marion Dayre
What you need to know: Fresh off her explosive debut in Hawkeye, Alaqua Cox reprises her role as deaf antihero Maya Lopez, aka Echo. The last we saw the character, she had just taken her revenge against Wilson Fisk (Vincent D'Onofrio), aka the Kingpin, for the murder of her father. Though little is known about the new series, her show could lead into the upcoming Daredevil: Born Again series. More on that later.

Loki season 2

Release date: Summer 2023
Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Eugene Cordero, Tara Strong, Sophia Di Martino
Showrunner: Eric Martin
What you need to know: The God of Mischief is returning for more chaos. C'mon. What did you expect? This time, Loki is being shepherded by Eric Martin as showrunner and Moon Knight directoring duo of Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead. Production is currently underway in London and the show is expected to release around the same time as The Marvels.

The Marvels

Release date: July 28, 2023
Cast: Brie Larson, Iman Vellani, Teyonah Parris, Samuel L. Jackson
Director: Nia DaCosta
What you need to know: While little is known about the actual plot going into the sequel to Captain Marvel, we do know Ms. Marvel breakout star Iman Vellani and WandaVision co-star Teyonah Parris are joining Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson. The end of Ms. Marvel teased a possible plot point for the upcoming release, with Vellani's Kamala Khan seemingly switching places with Carol Danvers randomly. We'll see where things go from there.

Ironheart

Release date: Fall 2023
Cast: Dominique Thorne
Showrunner: Chinaka Hodge
What you need to know: Not much is known just yet about what will be set up in the Ironheart series. The character of Riri Williams, played by Dominique Thorne, makes her debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever; there's a small glimpse of her in the trailer. We know the character has genius level intellect and built her own suit of armor. In the comics she catches the attention of Tony Stark, but with him gone from the MCU for now, the origins of this character may deviate a bit from what's been established in the comics.

Agatha: Coven of Chaos

Release date: Winter 2023/2024
Cast: Katheryn Hahn
Showrunner: Jac Schaeffer
What you need to know: She killed Sparky. That's it. Just kidding. The devilishly delightful Kathryn Hahn will be getting her own spinoff of WandaVision. Presumably they'll have to answer the questions regarding what Agatha's been up to in Westview following her defeat at the hands of Wanda, as well as more about her origins as a centuries-old witch. Maybe even the return of another famous witch? Might not be out of the cards.

Daredevil: Born Again

Release date: Spring 2024
Cast: Charlie Cox, Vincent D'Onofrio
Showrunner: Matt Corman & Chris Ord
What you need to know: Marvel has ordered a massive 18-episodes for Daredevil: Born Again. While not much else is known about the series, we know for sure, per Kevin Feige, that Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio are reprising their respective roles as Matt Murdock/Daredevil and Kingpin following appearances in Spider-Man: No Way Home and Hawkeye. Additionally, Daredevil makes a confirmed appearance in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.

Captain America: New World Order

Release date: May 3, 2024
Cast: Anthony Mackie
Director: Julius Onah
What you need to know: Sam Wilson is Captain America. Period. He rightfully inherited the title from Captain America, though struggled to earn it in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Kevin Feige revealed the title and date for the upcoming release, but previously it was announced that it would be written by Falcon and the Winter Soldier writers Malcolm Spellman and Dalan Musson and directed by Luce director, Julius Onah.

Thunderbolts

Release date: July 26, 2024
Cast: TBD
Director: Jake Schreier
What you need to know: Feige announced Thunderbolts as the final film of Phase 5. Little is known about who will be starring in it, but we've seen Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Contessa Valentina Allegra De Fontain (aka Val) assembling a team. Possible candidates could include Daniel Bruhl's Zemo, Florence Pugh's Yelena Bolova and Wyatt Russell's John Walker (aka US Agent). 

Blade

Release date: September 6, 2024
Cast: Mahershala Ali, Delroy Lindo, Aaron Pierre
Director: TBD
What you need to know: In 2019, when Kevin Feige brought out two-time Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali on the Hall H stage, fans have been wondering when they were going to see Ali's spin on The Daywalker. Three years later, they finally got their answer. Though many may not have seen him, everyone who saw Eternals heard him, as Ali lent his voice to a post-credit scene in that film involving Kit Harrington's Dane Whitman attempting to pick up the cursed Ebony Blade sword, before being stopped by Blade. It's unconfirmed if Harrington is reprising his role in Blade.

All in all that's two full years of movies to cover. But wait, there's more MCU goodness coming your way. Feige also announced three films for the MCU Phase 6.

In the first trailer for the highly anticipated Black Panther sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, several things were made clear. Riri Williams aka Ironheart (Dominique Thorne) is making her MCU debut, the Dora Milaje are still some of the fiercest warriors and with Chadwick Boseman passing, there’s a new Black Panther set to take the stage in the upcoming film. While the first trailer didn’t offer many clues as to who the next Black Panther is, there were a few bread crumbs. 

However, when Marvel Studios released the second official trailer for the MCU sequel on October 3, it became a little more evident that the next in line to play the hero from Wakanda is a woman. Take a look a the two-minute clip for yourself. 

Using casting news, hints from the trailers and some comic book history, here are WTW’s best guesses as to the identity of the new Black Panther. 

Is Shuri the new Black Panther? 

Shuri as the Black Panther is the overwhelming popular opinion and for good reason. For starters, Letitia Wright is reprising her role as the character and she is heavily featured in the new Black Panther: Wakanda Forever trailer. The character is also the most knowledgeable on the suits and all the tech involved behind the mystique of the Marvel superhero. Not to mention, she was in the heat of battle facing off against Thanos and his minions in Avengers: Endgame, which we think gives her incomparable experience dealing with villains.  

We should also note, that based on Marvel comics, Shuri does actually become Black Panther when her brother T’Challa is not able to be the hero. She is the princess of Wakanda after all and family, so it makes sense. 

Is Nakia the new Black Panther?  

Lupita Nyong'o’s character Nakia is also on tap to be a prominent figure in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, much as she was in the first installment of the franchise. Given her close relationship with T’Challa, the character may take it upon herself to adorn the Black Panther costume seeing a need for the hero. Let’s not forget that in the original film, she was not above going "rogue" to help people in need, even if it went against protocols. Additionally, fans will remember she’s also a very skilled fighter.  

If Nakia is indeed the new Black Panther, this would be a storyline that extends beyond the comic books. In fact, in the comics, let’s just say Nakia is more foe than friend to the superhero (to T’Challa’s version at least). However, Marvel has certainly strayed from the comics when necessary (i.e. the lineage of Wanda Maximoff, aka Scarlet Witch).  

Is Okoye the new Black Panther?

Another impressive candidate to pick up the Black Panther mantle is Danai Gurira's Okoye. There's an argument to be made that sans superpowers, she may have rivaled T'Challa in hand-to-hand combat, so she certainly has the skillset. Taking up the role as the Wakandan superhero in his honor is not so far-fetched. 

However, when one thinks of the Dora Milaje one instantly thinks of its leader, Okoye. As much as she loved her king and friend, she's been fiercely loyal to the warrior bunch. So would she leave to adorn the black suit? 

Perhaps, if she saw a suitable successor to take her place with the Dora Milaje. Maybe Michaela Coel's new character, Aneka, who is entering the MCU. In the comics, Aneka actually trained the skilled warriors, so it would seem she could fill Okoye's shoes. 

As for now, it looks like we’ll have to wait until November with the release of Wakanda Forever to see who becomes the next Black Panther.  

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is about to get a new — albeit reluctant — hero with the arrival of She-Hulk: Attorney At Law on Disney Plus. 

Jennifer Walters, played by Orphan Black and Perry Mason star Tatiana Maslany, is a brilliant but ordinary thirtysomething lawyer, whose cousin happens to be Bruce Banner, better known as the Hulk. When an accident leads to his blood mixing with hers, Jennifer develops Hulk-abilities of her own.

Unlike some of Marvel's other heroes, she's not remotely interested in leaving behind her normal life to start saving the world. Tatiana reveals why she was so excited to take on the dual roles of Jennifer and She-Hulk...

• She-Hulk: Attorney At Law launches on Thursday, August 18 exclusively on Disney Plus

The Marvel Cinematic Universe gets a little bigger with the arrival of Ms. Marvel, a brand new hero and Disney Plus/Marvel original series.

Disney Plus has been the exclusive home for a number of new and continuing MCU stories like WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, Hawkeye and Moon Knight. Disney Plus is also now the home of The Defenders original series (Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Punisher), which originally aired on Netflix.

As Ms. Marvel joins the ranks, actress Iman Vellani recently teased her character's exciting future in the MCU. Not to get too far ahead of ourselves, here is everything you need to know about the TV show.

When is the next Ms. Marvel episode?

Ms. Marvel premiered with one episode on Disney Plus on Wednesday, June 8. The remaining five episodes of the season become available to stream on each of the following Wednesdays. The season finale premieres on Wednesday, July 13. 

Below we've provided an episode guide to the season that we will update as the information is released.  

By the way, check out why fans are calling Ms. Marvel the most relatable Marvel superhero.

Episode 1: "Generation Why"
"Kamala Khan attends Avengercon only to discover that she herself might have superpowers." 

Episode 2: "Crushed"
"Kamala and Bruno explore the source of her newfound powers just in time for a perilous adventure." 

Episode 3: “Destined”
Ahead of Aamir’s wedding, Kamala may face grave consequences due to a crucial decision she makes. 

On a side note, have you wondered how much actress Iman Vellani shares in common with her character Ms. Marvel? Well, read for yourself what she says about it. 

Episode 4: "Seeing Red"
Kamala travels around the world to solve the mystery of the bangle and her family's history. 

Oh, and it looks like fans of the show couldn't stop talking about a few sequences in episode 3. 

Episode 5: "Time and Again"
"The bangle reveals to Kamala secrets about her family lineage, as well as the truth behind the Veil." 

By the way, find out why Ms. Marvel fans were so emotional after episode 4.  

Episode 6: “No Normal”
"Back in Jersey, Kamala fights to save her friends from the clutches of Damage Control."

What is the Ms. Marvel plot?

Ms. Marvel serves as an origin story for Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel, who has been a popular comic book character but is making her first appearance in the MCU with this TV series. Here is the official plot of Ms. Marvel from Disney Plus:

"Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel is a new, original series that introduces Kamala Khan, a Muslim American teenager growing up in Jersey City. An avid gamer and a voracious fan-fiction scribe, Kamala is a Super Hero mega-fan with an oversized imagination — particularly when it comes to Captain Marvel. Yet Kamala feels like she doesn’t fit in at school and sometimes even at home—that is, until she gets superpowers like the heroes she’s always looked up to. Life gets better with superpowers, right?"

Ms. Marvel trailer

As Disney Plus continued to build the anticipation for Ms. Marvel's premiere, they released a teaser titled "Courage" on May 29. In the clip, viewers get to see a little more of her power on display. 

Disney Plus released the first Ms. Marvel trailer on March 15. In it fans got their first peek at Kamala Khan as she dreams of being a superhero and ultimately gets the chance to make that dream come true. Give the Ms. Marvel trailer a watch directly below. 

A sizzle reel for Ms. Marvel, which gave a brief preview of the character from the producers and creators and some early footage was released in December 2020.

Who is in the Ms. Marvel cast?

Headlining Ms. Marvel is Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel herself. Vellani is a newcomer, with Ms. Marvel being her first credit, per IMDb. This is just the first step for Vellani’s Ms. Marvel, as the actress and character are set to jump from the Disney Plus series to the big screen in The Marvels, the sequel to Captain Marvel.

Vellani is the first Muslim superhero in the MCU, a milestone for the franchise. In a Variety feature, she explained even with that fact she doesn’t feel any extra pressure. "I don’t really have to go out of my way and talk about being a Muslim and being Pakistani — it all comes out in the show. People seeing a person like me involved in a project as big as this is, I think, inspiring enough."

By the way, read for yourself why Vellani feels she was always destined to play a superhero. 

The rest of the Ms. Marvel cast includes Aramis Knight, Saagar Shaikh, Rish Shah, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur, Matt Lintz, Yasmeen Fletcher, Laith Nakli, Azhar Usman, Travina Springer and Nimra Bucha. Deadline also reported recently that Anjali Bhimani would be part of the cast in a recurring role.

Absent from Disney’s cast lists is Fawad Khan, though the actor has confirmed in interviews that he will be part of the series.

Finally, with Ms. Marvel helping to lead into The Marvels, fans will probably be itching to see whether Brie Larson's Catpain Marvel of Teyonah Parris' Monica Rambeau makes an appearance in the show. Disney has not given any hints, however, that either would appear.

Who is Ms. Marvel and what are her powers?

Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel is one of the newer Marvel superheroes, making her first comic book appearance in 2014. In the comics, Kamala Khan is a Pakistani American growing up in Jersey City who looks up to superheroes like Captain Marvel, which are key characteristics that the Ms. Marvel TV show appears to follow.

Kamala Khan becomes Ms. Marvel in the comics when a mysterious mist awakens latent powers within her, which include the ability to alter her size and shape. So far, it seems that in the MCU she got her powers from bracelets sent to her from her mysterious grandmother. By and large, her powers in the MCU differ from the comics in that they have more to do with her manipulating the energy around her. She's able to create shields, shoot blasts and more.  

How to watch Ms. Marvel

Ms. Marvel plays exclusively on Disney Plus, so a Disney Plus subscription is required to watch it. Disney Plus is available as a standalone service (with monthly or yearly commitments) or there is the Disney Bundle option, which combines Disney Plus with ESPN Plus and Hulu for a single monthly fee. 

In a really cool bit of news, Variety has reported that Ms. Marvel is getting a theatrical release in Pakistan in June, as Disney Plus is not currently available in the country. Per Variety, the episodes will be packaged together in pairs, with episode 1 and 2 releasing on June 16, episodes 3 and 4 on June 30 and episodes 5 and 6 on July 14.

With Thor: Love and Thunder crashing into theaters this week, everyone’s favorite Avenger/Asgardian of the galaxy is returning for another classic Thor adventure of self-discovery and action. But with every new adventure comes even greater, more treacherous dangers and this installment is no exception. Making his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut with Thor: Love and Thunder is none other than the creepy and insanely powerful villain, Gorr the God Butcher.

"Who?" you might say. Well we’re very glad you asked. Because What to Watch is here to breakdown all the creepy, spine-tingling details about the new villain and his origins, so you can see for yourself why the self-proclaimed "Strongest Avenger" might not be strong enough this time around.

Who is Gorr the God Butcher?

Though first introduced in Jason Aaron’s Thor: God of Thunder #2, Gorr’s origins weren’t known for four more issues in Thor: God of Thunder #6, where it was revealed he was born into a society of aliens on a planet with no name. His species was overzealous about worshipping their gods, thinking they’d provide for them, but all Gorr saw on his planet was endless sun, barely any food or water and death. His father died of a sun sickness, his mother was eaten alive by beasts and once he survived to an adult age despite fighting through harsh conditions, his pregnant wife was killed when his cave collapsed. One by one his children all died as well. 

On the day of his son Agar’s death, he renounced all gods and was shunned and exiled by his people, left to die in the desert heat. Praying for death, Gorr’s suffering was interrupted by two fallen gods (one in black and one in gold), who slammed into the ground before him, battling one another. When Gorr went to investigate, a black substance from the god in black — later identified as symbiote god Knull (yup, the same symbiotes that create Venom and Carnage) in the comics — possessed Gorr. Attracted to his anger and resentment to the gods, he was presented a weapon, later identified to be All-Black the Necrosword, which empowered Gorr. He then used it to kill the god in gold. From there, Gorr went on a centuries long mission to kill all gods that remained.

Who plays Gorr the God Butcher in Thor: Love and Thunder?

Gorr is played by Academy Award-winner Christian Bale. Though he is no stranger to superhero movies, he's one of the best Batman actors of all time, this is Bale’s first time playing any Marvel character and first foray in the MCU. However, that wasn’t something he understood fully himself. 

When asked in a recent interview with Total Film (via Games Radar) about his experience being cast in a Marvel Studios movie and joining the MCU, Bale was quoted as saying, "I'd read that and people would go, 'Oh, look at this! He's entered the MCU!' And I'd go, 'I've done what? I haven't entered s**t, thank you very much.' I'm like, 'The MCU?' I had to ask what that was." 

That being said, an actor of Bale’s clout and commitment brings a sense of gravitas to a role like this. In his career, Bale has been nominated for four Oscars, winning for his first nomination as Dicky Ecklund in David O. Russell’s The Fighter. His turn as Bruce Wayne/Batman in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy was met with universal acclaim and helped the series to gross over $2.4 billion. Audiences should expect a very complex and potentially sympathetic character from his interpretation of Gorr, given his ability to infuse pathos and dimension into most characters he brings to life.

How is the MCU Gorr the God Butcher different from the comics?

Though much of Thor: Love and Thunder has been kept in secret, we can safely assume there’s a lot about the comic book version of Gorr and his story that won’t be making it into the film. For the most part, Gorr’s look in the comics is less humanoid than his cinematic counterpart. For another, in the comics he murders Volstagg, one of the Warriors Three. In the MCU, Volstagg is already dead, having been murdered by Hela in Thor: Ragnarok.

Additionally, the battle between Thor and Gorr in the comics spans over thousands of years. Thor first encounters Gorr during the Medieval Viking ages, then battles him again in the present and eventually thousands of years into the future. In the storyline, it takes the efforts of past, present and future Thor to defeat Gorr. It’s unlikely the MCU would delve back into time-travel elements again after relying so heavily on them during Avengers: Endgame.

Additionally, Gorr’s connections to the symbiote god, Knull, as well as the symbiote powers bestowed on him will likely be changed, given the rights to anything pertaining to symbiotes lie with Sony Pictures and their Venom franchise. He will likely wield a form of The Necrosword, however, given what we’ve seen in trailers and released action figures. But it’s unlikely it will be rooted in symbiote origins.

Whatever the case, if there is any truth to the buzz coming from test screenings of the movie, Waititi and Bale’s interpretation of Gorr is said to be "…the best villain that Marvel’s ever” (according to Waititi’s interview with AP News). Early buzz has definitely been enthusiastic about Bale’s performance and it seems that any flaws the character may have had in the comics are rectified by Waititi’s interpretations. 

Whatever the case, audiences will soon find out when Thor: Love and Thunder hits theaters Friday, July 8. Thor: Love and Thunder tickets are now on sale.

Thor: Love and Thunder is an energetic rock n' roll spectacle that blasts Taika Waititi's personality out of amplifiers dialed to 11. Marvel continues empowering its filmmakers' creative ownership over their entries, as the movie showcases even more free reign than Waititi exhibited in Thor: Ragnarok. 

Chasing Sam Raimi's horror-centric Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness with Waititi's cosmic mythology proves how few Marvel movies are created equal, especially these days. Thor's return blares Guns N' Roses hits to set the mood, feels the sincerest tingles of love and brings the so-called thunder often to satiate many an evildoer's appetite for destruction.

Chris Hemsworth returns as Thor, Son of Odin, currently trying to fill the hole left by his lost family. He's summoned back to New Asgard when Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale) unleashes shadow demons on the slumbering townsfolk, but is dumbfounded to find Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) has a new warrior ally. Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) now wields Mjolnir as The Mighty Thor after hearing the hammer's call post-Stage IV cancer diagnosis. Thor must navigate his unresolved feelings for Jane and Gorr's wake of slain gods if he's to save the New Asgardian children Gorr has kidnapped. But will jealousy or awkwardness ruin his and Jane's unexpected reunion?

Waititi and co-story creator Jennifer Kaytin Robinson are pulling from Greecian epics, sappy romantic comedies, kaleidoscope-colored interstellar psychedelics and other artistic influences in this ambitious tale. Although, it's less about Thor himself than Thor and Jane Foster. 

Thor: Love and Thunder is a tragedy at its core that's still brimming with vitality, excitement and Waititi's good-vibes goofiness in what could be the best representation of Thor to this point. Moments of loss and defeat are still imbued with the counterbalance of introspection and hope, which is what Waititi seems to do best. He's a bit like Guillermo del Toro, finding brightness in the macabre and smiles amidst our darkest battles.

The return of Natalie Portman and new additions like Christian Bale as Gorr and Russell Crowe as Zeus means Thor: Love and Thunder is overflowing with splendid performances. Hemsworth's evolution into Waititi's manifestation of a heavy metal van mural who's a himbo barrel of laughs but deathly serious when protecting those he loves has reached its fullest form — that's expected. Portman's conquering of Marvel's Mighty Thor arc as Jane Foster is mighty indeed, as she meets Hemsworth's meaty man-god eye to eye in fantastical combat and through meaningful conversations. 

Same for Bale's pale representation of Gorr as his Necrosword infects a grieving man driven by divine rage or Crowe's flamboyant Italian-whatever representation of Zeus, who's a shiny-golden hoot whenever he's on screen. The likes of Tessa Thompson and Waititi as Korg are as strong in presence as we remember, with newcomers only adding to the potency of the ensemble.

Where recent Marvel entries can feel inundated by an overload of CGI landscapes and creatures, Thor: Love And Thunder is as bright and opulent as driving across Mario Kart's Rainbow Road. Everything from Barry Baz Idoine's swooping cinematography to Michael Giacchino's bombastic score accentuates the epic space rocker operatics of Waititi's ambitions. Whether that's as Thor teams with Star Lord's (Chris Pratt) Guardians of the Galaxy against an army of owl-punk maniacs while "Welcome To The Jungle" plays or when Gorr subdues Thor, Jane and Valkyrie using inky tentacles under the greyscale nightshades of his black-and-white shadow realm. 

There's so much thought put into details beyond typical Marvel mechanics — smash and blast action beats and narratives that think too far ahead — as Waititi fulfills studio obligations but on his signature terms. He'll give us Asgardian combat, but in a wholesome, still electric way as Thor imparts Stormbreaker's powers into weapons held by a horde of children who then charge behind Thor into a skirmish against Gorr's tar-colored minions. Stuffed bunny rabbits blasting lightning bolts that incinerate nasty beasties is so Waititi; and that's just a taste.

It's the highest compliment to say Thor: Love And Thunder isn't a Marvel movie; it's a Taika Waititi movie. Marvel sometimes struggled to let filmmakers shine, like how Captain Marvel or Thor: The Dark World don't have any identifiable flourishes. Perhaps the MCU has learned over time that their entries only benefit from letting the James Gunns and Sam Raimis of Hollywood bring every ounce of their essence into their films, which Waititi fearlessly does in Thor: Love and Thunder. 

Waititi's wacky sense of humor translates into one of the MCU's funniest gags between Thor, Stormbreaker and Mjölnir (Thor sees his "ex" with another wielder); worldly inclusivity is on full display. Marvel's latest adventure thrives because Waititi's allowed to tell the type of tale he's best at handling, whether he wants to include Thor's gigantic goat companions or present a Marvel villain that's far more complicated than the norm who egotistically thirst for world domination.

Thor: Love and Thunder is a warm hug of dazzling cosmic Marvel sights and wackadoo attitudes that kicks tons of ink-blotty butt. It's worthy of Thor's Asgardian epicness but not overpowering enough to diminish the emotional richness of subplots that are vastly more human than eternal. Its messages don't need to be more complicated than "love trumps hate" or "fight for yourself because your gods don't care" because Waititi's grandiose execution shoots straight as an arrow.

It might be a Marvel victory, but it's impossible not to acknowledge Waititi's importance beyond generic oversight. As long as the studio keeps hiring individuals who are confident in their tactics, Marvel — and audiences — will keep benefitting from franchise entries that feel standalone and incomparable instead of churned out on an assembly line.

Thor: Love and Thunder releases in movie theaters around the world on July 8 (early screenings starting on July 7). Tickets for Thor: Love and Thunder are now available.

Iman Vellani is about to join the ranks of Marvel's many screen superheroes with the launch of Ms. Marvel on Disney Plus — and it's clear that she knows her stuff when it comes to Marvel Comics.

Ms. Marvel is the story of superhero-obsessed teenager Kamala Khan, who lives in Jersey City and is constantly being told by her parents, teachers, and even some of her peers that she needs to stop thinking about heroes and start focusing on her own life. 

But when Kamala discovers that she has powers of her own to tap into, she embarks on her own journey to becoming a superhero just like her idols — and realizes it's harder than it looks.

We caught up with Iman to chat about Kamala, filming in Thailand, and find out who her favorite superhero is...

• Epic Ms. Marvel trailer officially welcomes new hero to the MCU

• Ms. Marvel launches exclusively on Disney Plus on Wednesday, June 8

Ms Marvel star Rish Shah has teased what the future looks like for the Marvel Cinematic Universe's newest superhero.

In Ms Marvel, Rish Shah plays Kamran, Kamala's high school crush. Speaking to Radio Times, Shah has revealed that he thinks fans will be desperate to see more from the latest addition to Marvel's ever-expanding roster of heroes.

Talking about what he thinks viewers will feel after tuning into the new Disney Plus show, Shah said: "I think the main emotion [after watching the series] will be that they want to see more. She's such an exciting addition to the MCU and there's a whole wave of events and projects that are happening. 

"And of course, there's all these potential team-ups for Ms Marvel — and that obviously is The Marvels that's happening", he added, alluding to the upcoming Captain Marvel sequel which will see Kamala teaming up with Brie Larson's powerful Avenger in 2023.

He went on to say: "I think they'll just kind of be like, 'Oh my God, I need it. I need it now. I need to see what she's going to do next and what's happening.' And hopefully, they'll also just be content with the story that we've told thus far because I think it's really a beautiful journey that she goes on."

Shah also went on to explain why he thinks people will enjoy watching Kamala's journey unfold in the new Disney Plus series. 

He said: "I think that everybody's gonna see themselves in her. And I think that not everybody might expect that", he said, adding, "and she's just a fan like most Marvel fans. So Kamala is probably the most relatable superhero we will come across and we have come across thus far."

The show is billed as an origin story for Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani). The six-part series follows Kamala as the superhero mega-fan, gamer and fan-fiction writing Muslim American teen grapples with the usual problems of fitting in at school whilst also dealing with her newfound ability to manipulate cosmic energy.

Ms Marvel premieres exclusively on Disney Plus on Wednesday, June 8, with new episodes set to arrive on a weekly basis leading up to the series finale on July 13.

• What to watch on TV this week

NOTE: This review contains spoilers for Moon Knight. Check out our previous review for Moon Knight episode 2 right here.

One of the smartest things Moon Knight has done has been to sparingly use the caped superhero each episode, retaining the focus on the conflict between Steven and Marc. This third episode gives us the most screen time with Marc in the suit but also presents strongest case that this hero is only as good as both his personalities. It’s a smart move to make us like all sides of this character first and keep the costume and the powers secondary, which is ultimately where the MCU really excels.

After Marc/Steven (Oscar Isaac) headed to Egypt in episode 2, episode 3 picks up with Layla El-Faouly (May Calamawy) trying to catch up with him. After she showed her action chops last week, we get a chance to learn a bit more about Layla as she forges a passport to get into Cairo. We don't know exactly what Layla did in the past, but she is told to "avoid her old haunts" and has connections to some dangerous individuals. Despite the mystery, there’s something very likable about Calamawy’s performance; it's great to see more of her and how she fits into the story.

We then get to Marc, fully in control of his (or Steven’s) body, and in hot pursuit of witnesses that can lead him to Harrow (Ethan Hawke), who is using the scarab to find the tomb of Ammit. A pretty funny scene has him facing off against a really stylish group of mercenaries who like licking knives. Right as he’s about to get answers, he’s interrupted by Steven. 

The interesting thing about this episode is how it’s an inverse of the past two. We're seeing things through Marc’s perspective, with the blackouts occurring when Steven takes control. Steven may have a good heart, but he definitely gets in the way of results. Still, its hilarious to see the confusion of the goons when Marc asks them to stop after Steven just told them they could go.

As Marc keeps blacking out, he wakes up with a knife driven into one of the mercenaries. He’s shocked that Steven would kill someone, but we all know he wouldn’t (right?). This begs the question who was in control during these violent outbursts? We assume Khonshu (F. Murray Abraham). But could there be a possible third personality at work here?

Without any witnesses, Marc needs Khonshu to summon a council of avatars for the other Egyptian gods to accuse Harrow of crimes of trying to unleash Ammit. This is super risky given the gods' proclivity towards imprisoning other gods that violate their rules of making mortals aware of their existence. This leads to a fascinating scene involving Egyptian deity politics, in which we see what an outcast Khonshu truly is among his peers. 

It also leads to him being discredited thanks to Harrow’s crafty manipulations, exposing Marc’s dissociative identity condition. Alas, the gods are jerks and ignore things. So much credit has to be given to Oscar Isaac’s performance. With a simple change in tone and some physical commitment, we’re able to see who’s controlling Marc/Steven through the entire scene without the need to rely on any sort of VFX or Khonshu imagery. It’s incredible.

Following the failure of the forum, Marc finds Layla and they team up to try to find the tomb of Ammit by other means. Layla’s former associate in crime, Anton Mogart (Gaspard Ulliel) is in possession of a casket that has a star map that will show them the way.

The journey to visit Mogart allows us to really see the excellent chemistry Isaac has with Calamawy. It also reveals some shady stuff that went down with Layla’s father and Marc. It also showcases Steven’s strengths in Egyptology. Best of all, it gives us some world class Moon Knight action. 

Once more the cinematography is gorgeous, from the panel-like formation of Moon Knight’s cape into a crescent moon, and the hero facing off against several people on horses. To be honest though, the VFX look a bit off in this scene. 

Should also mention that for his limited screen time, the late Gaspard Ulliel gives a fun, dastardly performance. It’s a shame we won’t get to see more of Mogart, given he is the Midnight Man in the original Moon Knight comics.

Marc and Layla get away with the map they need, only there’s a problem. They don’t know how to read it. So Marc is forced to do something he’s been avoiding the whole episode: letting Steven out. It works. Steven’s deep rooted knowledge of Egyptology enables him to interpret the map, but the map is useless, because it could only be properly read if the sky were in the exact same position it was thousands of years ago the night it was created. 

Thankfully, Steven and Marc are avatars of a very handy Egyptian deity. This leads to one of the most visually stunning and incredibly unique scenes ever produced in the MCU: Steven, as Mr. Knight, and Khonshu reform the night sky. It’s a dazzling and gorgeous scene and it yields results, not only allowing Steven and Layla to find the temple of Ammit, but also enabling Khonshu to trust Steven more. 

Unfortunately, it’s not without a cost. The event leads to Khonshu being imprisoned by his fellow gods for altering the nature of the sky and, for now, Steven/Marc have lost the power of the Moon Knight. Thankfully, as this show has demonstrated, we won’t need the suit or the powers of Khonshu to make this story absolutely gripping.

New episodes of Moon Knight premiere exclusively on Disney Plus on Wednesdays.

After the jam-packed story of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Marvel does what it does best and teased some major developments for the MCU with a pair of post-credit scenes. One appearing mid-credits and the other at the very end, we’re going to break down each scene and what it may mean for the MCU below. SPOILERS AHEAD IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME. 

Ever since Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury appeared in the final moments of 2008’s Iron Man to tell Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark about the Avengers, Marvel fans have known that if they leave their seats before all the credits roll they could miss out on monumental reveals or, in some cases, just a funny scene to make you leave smiling. That tradition continues in Spider-Man: No Way Home, so let’s discuss both of the movie’s post-credit scenes.

Squeezing in one more villain

The first post-credit scene comes mid-way through the credits and manages to squeeze one more classic Spidey character into No Way Home — Tom Hardy’s Venom. Thanks to the post-credit scene in October’s Venom: Let There Be Carnage, we already knew that Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock and his favorite symbiote had made their way into the Tom Holland’s Spider-Man universe, but it wasn’t clear how that may impact Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Hardy does not appear throughout the actual movie’s story, instead being saved for this stinger that sees him at a bar in Mexico talking to a bartender (Ted Lasso’s Cristo Fernández) and getting the low down of what is going on in this universe. He crudely surmises many of the main events of the MCU, referring to Iron Man as a guy in a tin suit and Thanos as a purple alien who loves stone (Eddie takes issue with this considering his own alien has more of an affinity for eating people). Venom is of course on hand to throw in some fun commentary.

At the end of the scene, Eddie/Venom is being transported back to his universe by the spell used at the end of the movie. However, a bit of black symbiote goo lands on the bar and just before the scene ends we see it move. So, we can probably now officially welcome Venom to the MCU.

It’ll be exciting to see how this bit of symbiote figures into future MCU titles. Will they stick with the classic storyline and have it interact with Spider-Man (Tom Holland’s future as Spider-Man isn’t set in stone, but would be surprising for another movie not to be in the cards) or will Marvel change things up and have other characters dealing with the symbiote? Should be fun to see.

The Doctor is in (the multiverse)

Thanks to Loki and Spider-Man: No Way Home, we know that the multiverse is a big part of Marvel’s Phase 4. Doctor Strange’s experience trying to contain the multiverse in No Way Home is going to lead directly into his next movie, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. So, for the final post-credits scene, Marvel told fans that Doctor Strange will return by showing what could very well be the first trailer for the sorcerer’s next adventure.

Just to go over the highlights of the footage show, after some narration from Doctor Strange that we heard early in No Way Home about the multiverse, we see him track down Wanda (Elizabeth Moss). To her surprise, Doctor Strange isn’t interested in what happened in Westview (the central story of WandaVision), but instead wants her help as he tries to address an emerging problem with the multiverse. 

In addition to some trippy looking set pieces, we also get to see Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Mordo return, warning Doctor Strange that the greatest threat to their world is in fact, Doctor Strange. We see exactly what he means as the trailer ends with Strange facing off against an evil-looking version of himself.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is scheduled to release in theaters on May 6.

After the Eternals finally revealed themselves in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the group of superheroes will make their streaming debut on Disney Plus this January. Disney Plus has announced that Chloé Zhao’s Eternals will be available to stream for all Disney Plus subscribers on Jan. 12.

Eternals follows a group of heroes from beyond the stars who had protected the Earth since the dawn of man. When creatures called the Deviants, long thought lost to history, mysteriously return, the Eternals are forced to reunite in order to defend humanity once again.

Directed by Oscar-winner Zhao (Nomadland), Eternals stars Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjian, Lia McHugh, Brian Tyree Henry, Kit Harrington, Lauren Ridloff, Barry Keoghan, Don Lee, Salma Hayek and Angelina Jolie.

The movie was exclusively released in theaters on Nov. 5. Eternals divided critics, including What to Watch’s Josh Spiegel, but its Rotten Tomatoes audience score puts the movie at a 78%.

In addition to just being available on the Disney Plus streaming service, Eternals is going to be streaming in IMAX Enhanced, which offers 13 Marvel Cinematic Universe movies in the expanded aspect ratio of IMAX, allowing viewers to see up to 26% more of the original image. IMAX Enhanced works on all Disney Plus supported devices.

Eternals joins the other movies on the MCU, starting from 2008’s Iron Man and the other Phase One movies to the newest entries of Marvel’s Phase Four, including Black Widow an Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Here’s a guide on how to watch all of the Marvel movies in order.

If you want to stream Eternals or any other Marvel content, you need to be a subscriber to Disney Plus. The streaming service costs $7.99 per month ($79.99 for a full year) as a standalone service, or you can bundle it with Hulu and ESPN Plus for $13.99 per month. Anyone with a Hulu with Live TV subscription will also get automatic access to Disney Plus starting on Dec. 21.

We’re heading into a new age for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which unofficially began with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, the first new superhero to join the MCU as part of phase four.

Phase four is off and running with the Disney Plus original series WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Loki, as well as Black Widow. While we got some major plot points and a few new characters from these offerings, they all were centered around characters previously introduced in earlier MCU films. In the case of Black Widow, even though it was the first official film of phase four, it took place prior to the events of Avengers: Infinity War.

Fans were excited to see how Shang-Chi expanded the MCU, and can expect plenty more to come from Marvel's master of kung fu (continue reading to find out more). Here’s everything you need to know about Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

What is the plot of ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’?

As the first film to feature the character, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has a good amount of leg work to do establishing his backstory. Here's a quick primer.

Shang-Chi is an expert martial artist, raised and trained by his father Wenwu, who is the leader of an ancient organization known as the Ten Rings. When Shang-Chi discovered the dark truth about his father and the Ten Rings, he left that life behind. The movie will find Shang-Chi’s new life colliding with his past, forcing him to confront his father.

Who is in the ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ cast?

Shang-Chi is the first Marvel movie to star an Asian superhero, with Simu Liu taking on the title role. This is by far Liu’s biggest role to date, whose career been primarily in TV with shows like Canada’s Kim’s Convenience (available on Netflix) and appearances on Fresh Off the Boat and Awkwafina is Nora from Queens.

Speaking of Awkwafina, the actor-comedian also stars in Shang-Chi, playing Shang-Chi’s love interest, Katy.

Fans are also likely to recognize Tony Chiu-Wai Leung (The Grandmaster, In the Mood for Love) and Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Crazy Rich Asians). Leung will be playing Wenwu, Shang-Chi’s father and leader of the Ten Rings, while Yeoh is playing Ying Nan, Shang-Chi’s mentor.

Additional cast members include Florian Munteanu, Fala Chen, Dallas Liu, Ronny Chieng, Meng’er Zhang and Fernando Chien.

Who is the ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ director?

Destin Daniel Cretton is the director tasked with bringing Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings to the big screen. He also served as the writer along with Dave Callaham and Andrew Lanham.

This will be Cretton’s first movie for the MCU and the first true action movie that he has directed. He’s made a name for himself with excellent films like Short Term 12 and Just Mercy.

When is the ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ release date?

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was part of the shifting release schedule that has impacted so many films over the last year and a half. Originally expected to hit theaters on May 7, 2021, it was first pushed to July 9, 2021. However, some more movement ended up putting Black Widow in that spot. After all the shuffling, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings debuted for audiences on Sept. 3.

Unlike Black Widow, Shang-Chi was not available on Disney Plus through Premier Access, as it will have an exclusive run in theaters. However, as of Nov. 12, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has been available to all Disney Plus subscribers on the streaming service.

Is there a ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ trailer?

We’ve had a couple of trailers for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings thus far. We got the first trailer for Shang-Chi back in April, heavily focused on the action, while a second trailer dug more into the backstory of the character. You can watch that second trailer below. 

Are there 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' reviews?

Critics have started to weigh in on the latest MCU movie, and reviews have been pretty good so far for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Broadly, the film currently (as of Aug. 25) sits at a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes and is Certified Fresh, while its Metacritic score is a respectable 71.

What to Watch's own Amelia Emberwing praised Shang-Chi for its fight choreography as well as the performances from Simu Liu, Awkwafina and others in the cast, while describing the film as "a fresh origin of a hero we're yet to see on screen." Read the full review here.

How does ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ fit into the MCU?

Part of the draw of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is that producer Kevin Feige has been able to have each project have connective threads to one another. Even though this will be the first appearance of Shang-Chi in the MCU, there’s already a few ways that we know the film connects to past entries in the MCU. Warning, some SPOILERS AHEAD. 

The first thing is the Ten Rings organization itself. This one goes all the way back to the beginning of the MCU. The terrorists that capture Tony Stark and keep him prisoner in the first Iron Man are members of the Ten Rings. The group also appears in Iron Man 3, as it and a fake Mandarin, the organization’s leader, are used by Aldrich Killian to cover-up his Extremis experiments. However, Shang-Chi revealed that this incarnations of the Ten Rings were not actually the true one originally created by Shang-Chi's father. He even imprisoned the fake Mandarin, Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley), who pops up in the film.

We also got a couple appearances from some other MCU characters. The trailer showed a cage fight with a monstrous, Hulk-like creature. That is Abomination (played by Tim Roth), the villain from The Incredible Hulk, who actually happened to be fighting Wong, the Doctor Strange character played by Benedict Wong. Then, in the post credits scene, we briefly got to see Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner (back in human form) and Brie Larson's Captain Marvel as they discuss what exactly the Ten Rings are made of, something no one can figure out.

The other big question entering Shang-Chi is where does it take place in the MCU timeline? It's definitely post-snap and by all indications is before the timeline crisis previewed in the finale of Loki.

UPDATE 12/6:

Shang-Chi's journey in the MCU will, unsurprisingly, continue, as The Wrap has reported on news for the sequel movie and an expansion of the franchise. First off, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton will return to write and direct the sequel. Also, a spinoff series is being developed to air exclusively on Disney Plus. No more information is available on either the sequel or the Disney Plus series at this time.

How to watch the MCU films?

If you want to catch up with the MCU to this point, there’s a couple of ways to do it. First, you can watch them in the order that they were released, starting all the way back with 2008’s Iron Man. The other option is to watch them as they fit in the MCU’s timeline. This one is a bit more complicated, but we laid it out for you right here.

Also: How to watch all the Marvel movies releasing in 2021

As far as where to watch them, nearly all MCU films are available to stream on Disney Plus. Missing from Disney Plus are the Tom Holland Spider-Man films.

Looking to watch the Marvel movies in order? Here's how.

There have been a lot of Marvel movies made in a relatively short time. As in, just over a decade now. From 2008's Iron Man to the end of "Phase 3" with Spider-Man: Far From Home it's been one hell of a ride.

And it's not slowing down anytime soon. WandaVision opened Phase 4 this year in a big way, and since then we've been treated to a bunch of new Marvel releases — Eternals and Black Widow have already graced the silver screen in 2021, and Spider-Man: No Way Home is on its way in December, plus we've had more action from Loki, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Marvel's What If..., plus Hawkeye has recently kicked off its six-episode run on Disney+.

As the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to expand, the MCU timeline is growing more and more complicated.  If you're new to the MCU (or just planning a rewatch), and looking for the best way to watch the Marvel movies in order, we've got you covered.

There are two main ways to work your way through the films: release order, and chronological order. There's just one thing to bear in mind: whichever way you watch them, the majority of the Marvel movies all the TV shows can be found on Disney+, although a handful of them will be found elsewhere.

Regardless, here are the two ways you can watch the Marvel movies in order. We've also added in the Marvel TV shows so you can get the ultimate superhero viewing experience. We also have a how to watch the Alien movies in order guide!

How to watch the Marvel movies in chronological order

This takes you straight through the Marvel timeline by when each movie is set.

Things kick off with Captain America: The First Avenger. It was the fifth movie to be released, but the Steve Rogers experiment took place way back during World War II, making it the first movie chronologically by some margin.

That said, there's a little wiggle room here. Some of the films don't have exact dates, though it's easy enough to see where they fit between the events in the other movies. As and when new shows and movies release, we'll be sure to add them in so you can keep up with the entire MCU timeline. 

Here's the list in full:

• Captain America: The First Avenger: This is the "earliest" Marvel movie thus far, set during World War II, so sometime between 1939 and 1945.
• Captain Marvel: Definitively set in 1995, thus all the grunge. (And the Nine Inch Nails T-shirt on Capt. Danvers.)
• Iron Man: The first MCU movie released, but it takes place in 2010.
• Iron Man 2: There's no precise date for this, but it (obviously) takes place after Iron Man.
• The Incredible Hulk: The timeline is still a little messy here, but the first Hulk film is pre-Avengers.
• Thor: No set date here, either, but also is set pre-Avengers.
• The Avengers: Set in 2012.
• Iron Man 3: Some six months after The Avengers.
• Thor: The Dark World: Set in 2013, before Age of Ultron.
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier: A key movie for things to come, and it takes place after Avengers but pre-Ultron.
• Guardians of the Galaxy: Sometime in 2014 we're introduced to a new band of ruffians.
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: Fairly standalone, but it takes place at some point after the first movie.
• Avengers: Age of Ultron: We advance a year to 2015 when things really start getting ugly.
• Ant-Man: Also set in 2015, giving us another branch of the MCU.
• Captain America: Civil War: Not quite determined, but after Ultron and before Infinity War.
• Black Widow: Although we had to wait a while for Natasha's standalone movie, it takes place after Civil War.
• Spider-Man: Homecoming: Having been introduced to Tom Holland's Spider-Man in Civil War, he gets his first solo outing before Infinity War.
• Doctor Strange: We time travel forward into 2016.
• Black Panther: Chadwick Boseman takes center-stage as the Black Panther, set in 2017.
• Thor: Ragnarok: Taika Waititi's ultra-fun Thor movie floats around before Infinity War.
• Avengers: Infinity War: It all built up to this. The first half of Marvel's epic battle took place in 2017.
• Ant-Man and The Wasp: Also unclear, but sometime in 2017.
• Avengers: Endgame: Endgame begins in 2017, but things finish up five years later in 2022.
• Loki: This one's particularly messy; the show takes place following that something that happens thanks to something that goes down in Endgame, but its events take place "outside" of time. 
• What If: Has to follow Loki, even though different episodes of this animated show take place at various points in the timeline in alternative Marvel universes to the main MCU timeline.
• Spider-Man: Far From Home: Takes place in 2023, following the fallout from Endgame.
• Eternals: According to Eternals' producer, Nate Moore, this is set at roughly the same time as Far From Home in 2023 (minus the flashbacks)
• The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: Set during 2023. This was meant to be the first TV series released, but Covid got in the way and caused Disney to lead with WandaVision
• WandaVision: The series lands after the events of Endgame, set in 2023.
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: Shang-Chi's introduced when his world is turned upside down in 2023. 
• Hawkeye: Clint Barton's Christmas caper is set two years after Endgame, as per director Rhys Thomas' comments to Gamesradar+, meaning this likely takes place in the holiday period in 2024.

Watch the Marvel movies in release date order

The other way we love to watch the Marvel movies in order is by their release date. Although the story will leap back and forwards in time this way, some films lend themselves to being watched in release date order. 

For example, if it's your first time through the story, it makes sense to watch Captain Marvel much later, as there's a lot of backstory that probably won't mean as much to you if you aren't already familiar with what went on elsewhere in the MCU before it was released.

Here's how you can watch the Marvel movies in the order they were originally released:

MCU Phase 1

• Iron Man (May 2, 2008)
• The Incredible Hulk (June 13, 2008)
• Iron Man 2 (May 7, 2010)
• Thor (May 6, 2011)
• Captain America: The First Avenger (July 22, 2011)
• Marvel's The Avengers (May 4, 2012)

MCU Phase 2

• Iron Man 3 (May 3, 2013)
• Thor: The Dark World (Nov. 8, 2013)
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4, 2014)
• Guardians of the Galaxy (Aug. 1, 2014)
• Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1, 2015)
• Ant-Man (July 17, 2015)

MCU Phase 3

• Captain America: Civil War (May 6, 2016)
• Doctor Strange (Nov. 4, 2016)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (May 5, 2017)
• Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 7, 2017)
• Thor: Ragnarok (Nov. 3, 2017)
• Black Panther (Feb. 16, 2018)
• Avengers: Infinity War (April 27, 2018)
• Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 6, 2018
• Captain Marvel (March 8, 2019)
• Avengers: Endgame (April 26, 2019)
• Spider-Man: Far From Home (July 2, 2019)

MCU Phase 4

• WandaVision (Jan. 15, 2021)
• The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (March 19, 2021)
• Loki (June 9, 2021)
• Black Widow (July 9, 2021)
• What If... (August 11, 2021)
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (Sept. 3, 2021)
• Eternals (Nov. 5, 2021)
• Hawkeye (Nov. 24, 2021)
• Spider-Man: No Way Home (Dec. 17, 2021)
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (May 6, 2022)
• Thor: Love and Thunder (July 8, 2022)
• Black Panther 2 (Nov. 11, 2022)
• The Marvels (TBD 2023)
• Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (July 28, 2023)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
• Fantastic Four (TBA)

To get this out of the way right now, this is neither an endorsement for Eternals, nor a condemnation of it (though I personally really liked it). This is an analysis of the fact that, in many ways, Eternals is a perfect companion piece to the seminal DC graphic novel Watchmen and the mostly loyal 2009 film adaptation from Zack Snyder (well apart from its excellent sequel HBO miniseries, of course). That may not be a thought that would seem obvious at first, but when you really drill down the similarities and differences between the two, one could say they complement one another.

WARNING: POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN ETERNALS

Plotlines

Without revealing too much, Eternals, to a degree, begins with a murder. The circumstances behind that murder are incredibly vague and unclear at first. But what is clear is that the Eternals themselves are in danger from the likes of the reemerged Deviants and are in fact being hunted one by one. To protect one another and get answers about the murder, they try to get the band back together and find that, as events progress, the entire endeavor may or may not be connected to a greater plot revolving around a potential Armageddon. 

Watchmen is a similar story of a group of heroes that were divided (though in this case due to the Keene Act rather than their own personal reasons) and forced to reunite after their lives are suddenly threatened. The central murder of The Comedian is the powder keg that ignites the events of the story. And from there, Rorschach goes on a quest to try to warn each member of the team that they’re in danger of being picked off the same way. Though things start off rocky, eventually the trail of breadcrumbs they end up following exposes the greater truth about a plot to bring about a potential Armageddon.

In both stories, there are betrayals within the actual teams themselves rooted in philosophical differences about humanity. And in both, the case for bringing about the apocalypse is justified by rationale that doing so benefits the greater good. Additionally, the overall narratives of both immerse themselves in a revisionist history seen through the perspective of the characters and their respective impacts on the world around them, along with the world’s impacts on them on a personal level.

Execution

Which brings us to the execution of both stories. Because history is being seen (and extensive world building accomplished) through the eyes of the ensemble in both, Watchmen and Eternals have incredibly similar non-linear approaches to telling their respective stories. They flip back and forth between historical and present day events to reveal insights about each of the characters and their relationships to one another and humanity.

Both Eternals and Watchmen are framed by the present day narratives surrounding the mysteries putting the characters at risk. However, as each of the characters in Eternals are introduced, director Chloé Zhao takes a break from the present day mystery to flash back in history to several key events involving the Eternals. 

Through these flashbacks, she reveals more information about each of the individual Eternal members. The film develops each character and their relationships to humanity, as well as to each other, before catching you up with where they are in the present. Zhao’s approach needs the audience to understand these characters’ pasts in order to sympathize and empathize with their current states and relationship to humanity, and each other, in the present.

Also: Who are Marvels' 'Eternals' cast and where have you seen them before?

Watchmen does this similarly, with specific flashback sequences going back and forth between the Minutemen and the Crime Busters. Each flashback is meant to introduce specific characters’ relationships to one another — particularly their relationships with The Comedian. Much like Eternals, the flashbacks serve as a way to develop the characters and show the resulting impact their relationships with one another (and The Comedian) and their crime fighting careers had on them in the present day narrative.

Themes

Here’s where things get a bit interesting. The “get the band back together” murder mystery plotlines and the non-linear execution in both stories are similar and in service to the overall themes of each. 

Both Eternals and Watchmen deal with the following fascinatingly similar themes: the subordinate themes of “free will” and “morality versus utilitarianism,” and how they service the primary theme of humanism from the perspective of gods. But how they approach them is where things start to diverge, allowing you to view different perspectives of the same themes.

The theme of free will is much more obvious in Eternals than it is Watchmen, particularly through the conflict between Druig (given his mind altering powers) and the rest of his teammates. Druig wants to use his powers to protect humanity from themselves, while the rest of the Eternals object to this. We actively see the Eternals wanting to preserve humanity’s free will, and believing they deserve that freedom. In the film, Druig opts to use his powers to hold a large group of people (generations of them) hostage to form a commune without conflict or war. However, with the looming threat of an apocalyptic event underway, he finally is convinced by Sersi and the rest of the team that what he’s doing is wrong and lets them go so they can make their own choices for what could be Earth’s final moments.  All of this is because after 7,000 years with them, he and the rest of the Eternals actually care about humanity. 

In contrast, the nature of free will is constantly questioned by the Crime Busters in Watchmen; particularly through Doctor Manhattan and his fatalistic ways (believing free will doesn’t exist given everything is predetermined) and everyone except Rorschach in the story’s climax. For example, Doctor Manhattan does nothing to save a pregnant woman because his belief that all things are predetermined has made him callous to mankind’s needs. Then there’s Veidt, who, in his own self-importance, believes humanity can never achieve world peace without his own intervention. And finally, in the comics, Silk Spectre and Nite Owl II decide to be complicit with Ozymandias’ plan, thinking humanity wouldn’t be able to handle the truth. Their collective disbelief in humanity’s ability to pave their own destiny has made them either completely apathetic or disgusted with it to the point where they can justify its destruction. 

Which brings us to the idea of morality versus utilitarianism. Both stories present the question about whether or not the ends truly justify the means. Is killing billions to ensure trillions live a worthy sacrifice? 

As stated, Watchmen poses this question through Ozymandias’s master plan to destroy New York to unite the world against a common enemy, and the former Crime Busters enabling it. Eternals poses this question through the plans the Celestials want the Eternals to execute on their behalf and the conflict that arises within the Eternals team because of it. 

That said, ultimately it’s clear to see that the Eternals (like Rorschach and also Captain America) don’t believe in trading lives. And all this is because of the Eternals’ love for humanity. Zhao allows us to believe her characters love humans and would take the moral high ground over utilitarianism because she actively dives deeper into how humanity has affected each Eternal. 

Take Brian Tyree Henry’s Phastos for instance. As a character, he loses faith in humanity after the events of World War II and Hiroshima, but has it restored after he finds love and creates a family. This motivates him to join the fight to stop the apocalypse from happening.

Final Thoughts

All of this has been to say that ultimately, Watchmen and Eternals are two sides of the same coin. They present similar situations and execute them almost identically. However, Watchmen uses its narrative and themes to present the cynical, nihilistic perspective on the concept of heroism. While Eternals takes its similar premise, structure, and themes to make you believe in the romantic possibility of love, heroism and the promise of human existentialism through its characters. Perhaps many may criticize this as the “Marvel Studios” effect, where the good guys have to be good guys. But I choose to see it more as the power of optimism in Chloe Zhao to hope for the best in people and heroes. 

I guess this did end up being something of an endorsement for Eternals after all! 

This Friday, Nov. 5, movie fans everywhere will finally get to meet the Eternals, the newest team of superheroes that are joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But who are the actors behind these characters and where have you seen them before?

Just a quick primer, Eternals is about a race of immortal beings sent to Earth thousands of years ago to protect humanity from a threat called the Deviants. Now, after the events of Avengers: Endgame, a new threat emerges from the Deviants and the Eternals must once again reunite.

There are some noteworthy firsts with the characters of Eternals for the MCU, including featuring the first openly gay superhero (Phastos) in the Marvel movies and the first deaf superhero (Makkari). It is also the first MCU film to be directed by an Oscar-winning director, Chloé Zhao.

With a roster of talent that already includes A-listers like Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Elizabeth Olsen, Sebastian Stan, Tom Holland, Benedict Cumberbatch and plenty more, here are the actors of Eternals, some of who you already know and some who you will be introduced to with this film.

Angelina Jolie

Eternals Character: Thena
Most Memorable Role: Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Where Else You May Have Seen Angelina Jolie: Maleficent; Wanted; Lara Croft Tomb Raider; Girl, Interrupted; Gone in 60 Seconds

Unquestionably Angelina Jolie is the most well-known actor in Eternals. Jolie was at the height of her stardom in the mid-2000s following her pair of Lara Croft Tomb Raider films and then starring in the action-comedy Mr. & Mrs. Smith. But, in case you forgot, Jolie is also an Oscar-winner for Best Supporting Actress in 1999 for the film Girl, Interrupted. 

Jolie hasn’t been acting as much in recent years, only appearing in seven films since 2011, two of which were Disney’s Maleficent movies and another two providing her voice for Kung-Fu Panda. She’s been a bit more active behind the scenes, directing four films over that same time period, including In the Land of Blood and Honey, Unbroken, By the Sea and First They Killed My Father.

Gemma Chan

Eternals Character: Sersi
Most Memorable Role: Crazy Rich Asians
Were Else You May Have Seen Gemma Chan: Captain Marvel, Transformers: The Last Knight; Raya and the Last Dragon; Sherlock; Shetland

Gemma Chan is actually already a veteran of the MCU. She appeared as Minn-Erva in 2019’s Captain Marvel, but she was painted blue, in case you didn’t recognize her. In addition to the superhero genre, Chan also has plenty of experience with big blockbuster films, having starred in Crazy Rich Asians as Astrid Young Teo and the role of Quintessa in Transformers: The Last Knight; she also provided a voice for this year’s Raya and the Last Dragon.

But before she was a name that many film fans knew, you can still see Gemma Chan in some fan-favorite series, including Sherlock, where she appeared in the second episode of the first season, and Shetland, where she had a two-episode arc as Hattie James.

Richard Madden

Eternals Character: Ikaris
Most Memorable Role: Game of Thrones
Where Else You May Have Seen Richard Madden: Cinderella; Bodyguard; 1917; Rocketman; Klondike 

The King in the North (the first one), Richard Madden is known by most fans for his run on Game of Thrones, which of course ended in one of the most shock moments in TV history with the Red Wedding. While Eternals is certainly the biggest project he’s been a part of since the HBO series, Madden has a solid resume outside of the two franchises.

While not reaching the heights of Game of Thrones, Madden was the star of the British limited series Bodyguard, which became a hit in both the U.K. and the U.S. in 2018 and is getting ready for season 2. He’s also had some memorable supporting roles in films, including as the prince in Disney’s live-action version of Cinderella, as Elton John’s manager in Rocketman and a small part in Sam Mendes’ war epic 1917.

Kit Harrington

Eternals Character: Dane Whitman
Most Memorable Role: Game of Thrones
Where Else You May Have Seen Kit Harrington: Modern Love; Gunpowder; 7 Days in Hell; Testament of Youth; Pompei

The King in the North (the second one). Kit Harrington famously played Jon Snow on Game of Thrones, making Eternals a reunion with his GoT co-star Richard Madden (though the two were only ever in two-episodes together). Harrington had a much longer run on the HBO show than Madden, but he’s still been able to find some notable roles outside of Westeros and pre-Eternals.

Perhaps his best one to date was his performance in 7 Days in Hell, a faux sports documentary comedy where he starred alongside Andy Samberg, but he has also been in TV series like Gunpowder and Modern Love season 2, as well as films Testament of Youth and Pompei.

Salma Hayek

Eternals Character: Ajak
Most Memorable Role: Frida
Where Else You May Have Seen Salma Hayek: Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard; Grown Ups; Once Upon a Time in Mexico; From Dusk Till Dawn; Desperado

Along with Jolie, Salma Hayek is the long-established veteran of the Eternals cast. After getting her start in TV, Hayek broke out on the big screen with a handful of films working with Robert Rodriguez, including in Desperado, From Dusk Till Dawn and Once Upon a Time in Mexico. Her career highlight though is most likely playing artist Frida Kahlo in the aptly named biopic, Frida, for which Hayek earned a Best Actress nomination.

In more recent years, Hayek has been playing around on projects that include Grown Ups, a run on 30 Rock, a healthy dose of indie films like Beatriz at Dinner and How to Be a Latin Lover and the action-comedy Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard. November will be busy for her, as just a couple of weeks after Eternals she is in the Ridley Scott film House of Gucci.

Kumail Nanjiani 

Eternals Character: Kingo
Most Memorable Role: The Big Sick
Where Else You May Have Seen Kumail Nanjiani: Silicon Valley; The Lovebirds; The Twilight Zone; Stuber; Portlandia

Perhaps few actors from Eternals got as much buzz before the movie as Kumail Nanjiani, as he was the latest Marvel actor best known for comedy to then get jacked for his role. The internet was set ablaze when Nanjiani, who at the time was best known for playing Dinesh in Silicon Valley, shared a photo of himself after training for Eternals.

Though Eternals isn’t the first experience Nanjiani has with action in his films, i.e. The Lovebirds and Stuber, Nanjiani has always focused more on the comedy part of these action-comedies. But if we’re going with the actor’s best work, that easily goes to the Amazon Prime movie The Big Sick, a dramedy that he wrote with his wife based on their own experience when they were having difficulty in their relationship but she comes down with a mysterious illness.

Brian Tyree Henry

Eternals Character: Phastos
Most Memorable Role: Atlanta
Where Else You May Have Seen Brian Tyree Henry: Widows; The Woman in the Window; Godzilla vs Kong; Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse; The Outside Story

Though Brian Tyree Henry had his first credited role back in 2009 (one episode on Law & Order), his career really started to take off in 2016, when he starred alongside Donald Glover in the FX series Atlanta, which actually just dropped a trailer for its third season recently. Since then, Henry has probably been among the busiest actors working.

Just some highlights of Henry’s work over the last five years or so include the villainous Jamal Manning in the underrated crime film Widows; voicing the character of Miles Morales dad in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse; a small role in Joker; supporting roles in 2021’s Godzilla vs Kong and The Woman in the Window; and a number of roles in indie films, including The Outside Story, a gem of a movie that came out this past spring.

Lauren Ridloff

Eternals Character: Makkari
Most Memorable Role: The Walking Dead
Where Else You May Have Seen Lauren Ridloff: Sound of Metal; Wonderstruck; New Amsterdam (1 episode)

Lauren Ridloff is one of the actors making MCU history, as the first deaf actor/superhero to appear in one of their movies. But this isn’t the first time that Ridloff is playing in the world of superheroes, as she appeared in an independent film in 2018 called Sign Gene: The First Deaf Superheroes.

Many people may recognize Ridloff as Connie from The Walking Dead, which she has been on since 2018. Some of her other credits include supporting roles in 2020’s Sound of Metal and 2017’s Wonderstruck, as well as a guest appearance on New Amsterdam.

Barry Keoghan

Eternals Character: Druig
Most Memorable Role: The Killing of a Sacred Deer
Where Else You May Have Seen Barry Keoghan: The Green Knight; Chernobyl; American Animals; Dunkirk; ‘71

Barry Keoghan has filled his career thus far working with some of the most distinctive and challenging directors out there (continuing that with Eternals’ Chloé Zhao). The Irish actor began his career with a number of U.K. productions — most notably ‘71 — but his breakout game when he was cast in Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Killing of a Sacred Deer as the chilling character Martin.

His other major credits include working with Christopher Nolan on Dunkirk, in the mixed documentary/narrative style of American Animals, appearing in HBO’s mini-series Chernobyl and most recently in David Lowery’s medieval epic The Green Knight. Keoghan is set to be the actor that has a foot in both the MCU and the DC Extended Universe, as he has a role in 2022’s The Batman.

Lia McHugh

Eternals Character: Sprite
Most Memorable Role: The Lodge
Where Else You May Have Seen Lia McHugh: Songbird; Along Came the Devil; Totem; Hot Summer Nights

While Marvel movies often take recognizable actors and turn them into superstars, it has also made stars out of complete unknowns. These next couple of actors are in line to do just that. 

Lia McHugh only has 10 credits to her name (per IMDb), with her most notable role coming in the 2019 horror film The Lodge, where she starred opposite Riley Keough. Her other film roles have been indie movies like Songbird, Along Came the Devil, Totem and Hot Summer Nights. She also has had some TV work in Into the Dark and American Woman. But for most, Eternals will serve as her big introduction.

Don Lee

Eternals Character: Gilgamesh
Most Memorable Role: Train to Busan
Where Else You May Have Seen Don Lee: The Good the Bad and the Weird; The Outlaws; The Neighbors; Sense8

Don Lee (sometimes credited as Ma Dong-seok) is a South Korean-American actor, but who has primarily been making his career in South Korea. His most widely known role to date probably came in the zombie film Train to Busan, though he has been working since 2005 and has starred in both TV shows and movies. Eternals won’t actually be his first English-language project, however, as he appeared in the Netflix series Sense8 in the blink-and-you-may-miss-it role of a bouncer.

 Chloé Zhao 

Most Memorable Movie: Nomadland
What Other Movies Has Chloe Zhao Made: The Rider; Songs My Brother Taught Me

Also wanted to be sure to include Eternals director Chloe Zhao in this list, as this may be the first time that many movie fans will be seeing a film from one of the most exciting directors of the last handful of years. Even if you didn’t see it, most have likely heard of Nomadland, Zhao’s 2020 film that won Best Picture and made her the first Asian woman to win Best Director at the Oscars. Her previous two films, The Rider and Songs My Brother Taught Me, were much smaller but were praised for her lyrical directing style that quickly made her a talent to watch.

Surprise appearances?

Ever since Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury was revealed as part of a post-credit scene  for 2008's Iron Man, Marvel fans have known to never leave the theater until the very end or else risk missing out on a funny scene or potentially important plot point reveal or new character introduction. We know something is almost certainly in the cards for Eternals, but will its post-credit scene introduce even more new players to the MCU?

SPOILER ALERT if you do not want to know anything about the post-credit scene for Eternals.

Following the premiere of Eternals on Oct. 19, Variety write Matt Donnelly tweeted that musician/actor Harry Styles showed up in the Eternals post-credits scene, playing the character of Eros, the brother of Avengers: Endgame's big bad, Thanos. 

Styles is best known for his music career, which began with the boy band One Direction but has seen him as a solo act in recent years, but he has been getting more into acting, appearing in Dunkirk, as well as a role in Olivia Wilde's next directorial effort, Don't Worry Darling, and the upcoming project My Policeman.

There were some rumors about Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown appearing in Eternals, but she has not appeared in any listing of credits for the film and there was no reveal ala Styles following the film's premiere, so likely just wishful thinking among fans.

Even now, after living through more than a decade of unending success, it's difficult to quantify just how big the Marvel Cinematic Universe is. What started out fairly modestly with the 2008 adventure Iron Man has now turned into such an influential hybrid subgenre of science-fiction, action and fantasy that you can't avoid superhero films no matter how hard you try. The MCU is permeating the entirety of Western cinema, and its true auteur, producer Kevin Feige, is no doubt interested in moving beyond the typical superhero film. 

It is to his credit that the umpteenth MCU film, Eternals, does not feel like the standard fare with capes and superpowers. Here is a film co-written and directed by a distinctive auteur in and of herself, the Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao, whose most recent effort, Nomadland, won last year's Oscar for Best Picture. Here is a film with a proudly diverse cast, in terms of gender, race and sexuality. 

But here is a film whose surface-level attributes seem intended to mask the emptiness underneath. Yes, Eternals breaks a few notable barriers for the MCU, barriers that should have already been broken. There is indeed a sex scene in this movie and there is a gay superhero, too — no tiptoeing around the potential, because you even see said hero kiss his husband. These details are all true and they are all worth pointing out because in these ways and others, the MCU is trying new things. It's good to try new things. But what Eternals should have also tried was creating a story and characters worth a damn beyond the laudable efforts to make a superhero film look like the audience paying to see it.

In the beginning, as the opening text notes, there were deities known as Celestials, who oversaw the universe with the aid of superpowered aliens called Eternals, from the planet Olympia. The Eternals watch over the planets and denizens of the universe, staving off the attacks of bloodthirsty creatures called Deviants. Most pressing, the Eternals, who are led by Ajak (Salma Hayek), are tasked with keeping an eye on the humans of Earth, from as far back as 5,000 BCE, and ensuring their safety in the face of the Deviants. Over the course of 7,000 years, the ageless Eternals grow closer to humans, both emotionally and spiritually, before eventually having their existences upended.

To say more would be to reveal some of this opaque film's secrets, but it's also true that to say more would be akin to one of this film's many lengthy info-dumps. The most positive way to look at it is that Eternals is trying to do a whole lot in the span of 157 minutes. (That includes, of course, 10 minutes of end credits as well as mid- and post-credits scenes guaranteed to make sense to comic-book die-hards and very few other people.) Aside from watching the Eternals, who also include Ikaris (Richard Madden), Sersi (Gemma Chan), Kingo (Nanjiani) and Phastos (Henry), on their latest adventure against a series of Deviants who have awoken from a lengthy slumber and are now hunting our heroes specifically, there's also the business of introducing the audience to these characters as well as establishing their world.

It does not help matters that Zhao seems understandably less interested in mounting action sequences in which the Eternals show off their powers and more so in placing the characters in verdant landscapes, everywhere from Babylon to South Dakota to a fiery volcano. The plot machinations of an MCU movie being what they are, it soon becomes clear that the Eternals — who have been separated from each other for centuries for reasons that become clear in flashbacks interspersed throughout the present-day action — must reunite to stave off a threat that could endanger the whole of humanity. Those storytelling gears grind quite heavily this time around, though.

Zhao and cinematographer Ben Davis are much more comfortable in highlighting the surprising lack of CGI in a Marvel movie; by itself, a movie that doesn't have too much CG isn't worth praising simply for existing, but that's how low the bar is set now for Marvel. Conversely, the third-act climax leans heavily on pyrotechnics and computer wizardry, though the latter seems lacking especially in a few fight scenes that seem more like video-game animation from the mid-2000s. Yet even Zhao's predilection for outdoor photography, put to such remarkable use in Nomadland, eventually sours. Some shots in Eternals end up looking like this year's most buzzed-about Super Bowl commercial, which may indeed be different from a Marvel movie without being satisfying.

It doesn't help matters that the one aspect that typically marks every Marvel movie — a forceful amount of humor that pushes to the point of glibness — is largely absent from Eternals. Much has been made about the fact that comedian and actor Kumail Nanjiani bulked up to play Kingo, who's equally at home as a modern Bollywood star as he is as one of the Eternals. And while Nanjiani is easily one of the best parts of this film, it badly needs him to be more present. The same is true of Brian Tyree Henry, whose technology-focused character Phastos is a fascinating creation who is mostly absent for the first 90 minutes. 

Instead, Eternals focuses much of its energy on the centuries-spanning romance of Ikaris and Sersi (and yes, the former character's name is pronounced like the mythical Icarus of flying-too-close-to-the-sun fame). Madden and Chan are very pretty people, so pretty that they get to be the focus of the much-discussed sex scene, which takes up three shots of film and takes less time than it will take for you to read this sentence. But their performances — or just the writing of their characters — are not up to the task of leading this film.

At one point in Eternals, a few of the eponymous superpowered individuals muse about who may lead the Avengers now that both Captain America and Iron Man are gone. Nine years ago, the MCU pulled off what felt like a magic trick. After introducing most of the Avengers in their own films, they were brought together in an epic adventure that balanced action, comedy, science-fiction, romance and drama very effectively, helped in large part by charismatic lead actors, a fearsome but entertaining villain and believable world-ending stakes. Eternals has one thing the 2012 Avengers did not have, and that is a more notable visual style. (No one should argue that Joss Whedon is a particularly memorable visualist as a director.) But Eternals is missing all of the ingredients that made that first Avengers work. 

Now that we're in Phase Four of the MCU, it's hard not to see conversations like the one in this film, where the Eternals wonder who might be the next leader of the Avengers, and imagine that this film is essentially an audition tape. If that is the case, we can only hope that someone else will crack the characters creatively. Right now, none of them are Avenger-worthy.

Eternals will be released exclusively in theaters on Nov. 5.

This post contains spoilers for Black Widow. 

Black Widow has finally hit theaters after years of anticipation and excitement from fans who wanted nothing more than to see their favorite character in a long overdue solo outing. And, with generally solid reviews from critics and audiences alike, I think it’s fair to say that the film has officially met mostly lofty expectations set by that great anticipation. However, while said fans of Natasha Romanoff are elated to be united in the bittersweet joy of getting to see their favorite character kick ass at least one final time, the truth is there’s an underlying sadness beneath this film that makes it, perhaps, the most tragic movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Yes, partially, I’m referring to Agent Romanoff’s ultimate fate from Avengers: Endgame, but rather primarily, more so, the tragedy behind the central relationships in the film’s greatest strength: the Widow family. 

Yes, it’s true that Natasha and her faux family, consisting of fake sister, Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), and fake parents, Milena Vostokova (Rachel Weitz) and Alexei Shostakov aka Red Guardian (David Harbour), are reunited and find peace with one another and the past by the film’s end. But, when you truly break down each character and what the false family meant to each of them, it turns Black Widow (and to a degree Nat’s ultimate fate) into something even sadder.

Natasha Romanoff

Nat, like the rest of her family and all other products of The Red Room, has suffered greatly in her life. However, unlike the rest of The Red Room victims, Nat escapes and defects to S.H.I.E.L.D., where she forms her second de facto family following the Widow family. Nick Fury, Maria Hill, Phil Coulson, and Clint Barton actively take her in and give her a second chance to redeem herself and the mistakes she’s made. She begins her quest to wipe off the red from her ledger, which  leads her to Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Bruce Banner, Thor, and the formation of her third family, The Avengers. The rest is history. Nat has done well for herself, inadvertently finding herself in the presence of heroes and becoming one as well. Both teams love her and keep her dedicated to a greater noble path to redemption and a sense of inner peace. To borrow a line she says to Proxima Midnight in Avengers: Infinity War, she’s not alone. She actively has people that care about her, even if The Avengers “divorced” for a period of time following Captain America: Civil War The family was divided for seven or eight years, but she always had at least half or all of them at any given time since beginning her days at S.H.I.E.L.D.

The point of all this is to say that, despite the short period of time between the end of Captain America: Civil War and the re-introduction of Yelena and the rest of the Widow family in Black Widow, Nat has consistently had the good fortune of having someone in her life to help her navigate through the darkest parts. This is the very reason why she is more willing to forget about her first “family,” and the reason she so callously  admits that none of it was real during the events of Black Widow. She’s had it good. And, she deserves it and is entitled to a bit of good in her life. But, sadly, her good fortune all these years also makes her oblivious to the suffering of each of the others in her “family”, until she learns that the Red Room is still around and became even worse due to her escape). Naturally, none of this is her fault, and she ends up rectifying things by the end. We can’t blame her when she snapped and told the rest of her former family none of it was real. However it does make the statement considerably harsher when you think about why it was and had to be real for the rest of the Widow family members. 

Yelena Belova

Following Nat’s departure, Yelena was one of the victims of The Red Room’s stricter guidelines. Nat’s escape naturally led to the switch from physical and mental conditioning to chemical and pheromonal. Technically, because of her,  free will and choice were fully taken away from future Widows, including Yelena. So, on top of the horrors that both she and Nat had to endure as children, Yelena also had to endure everything the remaining Red Room victims had to go through. At no point in her life did she have any semblance of the hope or light Nat experienced with The Avengers or S.H.I.E.L.D., apart from the three years she spent posing as part of a fake American family in Ohio with the rest of the Widow family. It wasn’t possible for her to formulate a separate family within the Widow program with the other Red Room victims because they were essentially all puppets, unable to free themselves to band together. She wasn’t in full control of her body until she was sprayed with the antidote in the beginning of the film. And so, Yelena has had to survive mentally and emotionally on the smallest wins - from her memories of Ohio to the purchase of a really cool multi-pocketed surplus vest. 

This is why the false family dynamic was so important and felt real to her. Nothing else in her life has been better. Everything, as she said, was predetermined by a sick creep forcing her to carry out orders with murderous intent, including the  three -year mission in Ohio. But at least there was the smallest semblance of freedom in those three  years. She actually was able to make decisions, and even pretend to be a real girl with a real childhood. She actually wasn’t aware of the mission as she was only three when she was assigned to the family.  So, to her, those memories were real until she found out the truth when the mission had ended. Completely vulnerable, Yelena  revealed that time with the “family”  was real to her. Because it had to be. It was what she needed to survive and the taste of freedom and what she once had motivated her to keep fighting for that chance again. The fantasies of something as simple as having a sister that grew up to become a science teacher kept her sane.

Alexei Shostakov

The Red Guardian, unlike his other Widow family members, was not technically part of The Red Room. He was an experiment in the same way Steve Rogers was, but he was free to make his own decisions. Unlike Milena or Yelena, he chose the path of his life, and ended up making all the wrong decisions by inevitably betraying his fake family – the “boring” bane of his three year fake-father existence in America – to serve his country. As it turns out, karma ended up being a bitch, given that Alexei himself ended up betrayed by his country, his general, and his own ideals, having been arrested and imprisoned for several decades some time following his assignment in Ohio.

Now for Alexei, his situation is completely unique to Yelena, Nat, and Milena’s because he actually wanted to serve his country. He believed in all of the causes of the Soviet Union, and basked in the fame and glory of being the once-famed Red Guardian. And what did all of that get him? A prison sentence. He even complains off-hand to Nat about how his own party couldn’t even come together, and expresses his hatred for Dreykov, the man who sold him down the river. At the time, the Widow family may have been a boring assignment. But now, for Alexei, it’s the only semblance of family that didn’t betray or disappoint him. He realizes it too late, but still comes to realize its value all the same. It was the only thing that he had even the slightest belief in and the last really decent period of his life before it went to shambles. At this point, even his glory days mean nothing given they were in service of a country that would turn its back on him and a party that ended up meaningless. So all he inevitably had, like Yelena, was their fake family. For as much as he complained about it, he still had some sort of affection for all of them. Hence, his reprise of “American Pie” with Yelena. Thus between that affection, and even an irrelevant plea for forgiveness later in the film,  it demonstrates how much/how real the Widow family is to a man destroyed by his own beliefs and country.

Milena Vostokova

Milena, unfortunately, does not get as much of a backstory as the other members of the Widow family, but we still get a good picture of what her life was like prior to meeting the rest of the “family”. In a conversation with Nat, she talks about being cycled through The Red Room four times before Nat was even born. When taking into comparison how long Nat and Yelena spent their lives under the torture of Dreykov and The Red Room program, and quadrupling that, we get a fairly grim picture of what Milena’s life was like before becoming the maternal figure of the fake Widow family.

Naturally, she came out of the program a bit more successful than Yelena and Alexei, as Dreykov allowed her to keep a small, simple farm life. However, it’s not out of kindness, but rather necessity to his cause, given Milena is still very much bound to serve The Red Room in the present. Nothing about the instruments of torture she worked on and developed sats right with her, but, like the rest of the Widows, she had no choice. Thus, this simple life is still one plagued by fear and guilt (to a degree – she did seem oblivious that her work was being used on Yelena), which is why she still held onto the lie of her Ohio family. In fact, of all the Widow family members, Milena seems to actually be the most nostalgic, having kept the mementos from the Ohio assignment with her, including The Red Guardian suit and the family scrapbook. For her, these were safety blankets of comfort. Moments that, like Yelena, she could retreat to. However, uniquely from Alexei and Yelena, this lie was clearly a comfort she retreated to in order to help her deal with her fear and guilt. And unlike Natasha, she never had the courage to fight back until her  “family” was  in danger once more. Given what she was willing to do to finally get into action and help Nat and the team take Dreykov and The Red Room down truly emphasizes how important and real that “family” was to her.

The fact that Yelena, Milena, and Alexei all needed this family to get through the individual traumas of their lives, simply because the three-year lie was better than what their individual realities truly were, speaks volumes about how tragic they ultimately are as characters. Exploring this underlying sadness also makes Natasha’s arc in Black Widow all the more important and personal. By getting this “family” back together and finally acknowledging that it was actually real, in many ways, she’s essentially saving the lives of three people who were defined by horrific duties to their countries while also personally still obtaining a semblance of hope in The Avengers becoming whole again. But completely destroying the optimistic notion of turning this fake family into a real one would be, of course, the impending doom of Thanos and his snap about two years later. While knowing the Widow family having those two final years on good terms with one another is a nice notion, one has to assume half, if not all of them, must have disappeared during the snap, only to find out having come back from the blip that Nat had died. And once more, the family is broken again, this time permanently, just as hope had begun to peek through. The film takes the concept of a fake family built on lies and treason, and turns it into a legitimate one born of love and freedom, then takes it all away with the knowledge and understanding that it will never be whole again. And as such, this officially makes Black Widow perhaps the most tragic movie of the entire MCU cannon.

For years fans of The Fantastic Four have had to put up with big budget adaptations that have ranged from the aggressively mediocre to just plain garbage. Finally, after years of patience, those fans will be rewarded. Late last year, Kevin Feige officially announced that Marvel Studios is moving forward with an adaptation of Marvel's First Family. This has in turn rallied fans stronger than ever around their favorite choices for who should play Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and The Thing; mainly inspired by expertly crafted fanart by notable industry professionals, like Bosslogic. Though the journey of watching hardcore fans and artists like Bosslogic speculate and create predictions has been rather enjoyable, it has also created a kind of dogmatically narrow-minded approach to the possibilities of future casting.

In particular, many fans believe the only acceptable choice for Reed Richards and Sue Storm are John Krasinski and Emily Blunt, and refuse to accept anything to the contrary. What started out as a germ of an idea inspired by the success of A Quiet Place has escalated into the only truth some fans seem to be willing to accept. In fact the desire to have them inhabit the roles has gotten so embedded in many fans' brains, that those same fans were convinced John Krasinski as Reed Richards was going to be a cameo on WandaVision. 

And while there's nothing wrong with everyone having an opinion about who they want to see play the heroes they love, is it truly the "only logical choice" for these roles? Does the rationale behind why fans think these actors are the only acceptable choices actually make sense in the context of the characters? Or are these desires simply spawned by arbitrary things like fan art?

That's not to say Krasinski and Blunt aren't terrific actors. The problem is the desire for them to inhabit the roles can be traced back to a somewhat "flavor of the month" mentality spawned from the success of A Quiet Place back in 2018, which persisted for years thanks to convincing fanart. All this rather than assessing anything actually rooted in the defining traits of the characters from the comic book page. While Blunt and Krasinski are great, nothing about A Quiet Place really equates to Fantastic Four outside of the fact that they play a husband and wife in a movie with aliens. By that very logic, any on-screen couple in an alien movie would be equally as qualified, wouldn't they?

When breaking down a character like Reed Richards from the text, he's widely considered to be the smartest man alive. He's obsessed with his work. He's a bit awkward. Lanky. He is devoted to his family. Sure, Krasinski would be able to pull off a role like that, being as talented an actor as he is. But what about him or his current resume makes him the definitive choice to encompass those aspects of the character? If the criteria boils down to aesthetics, how about Ewan McGregor, who equally looks as close to Reed Richards in the comics? Why not branch out from casting a typical Caucasian lead, and go with actors like Rahul Kohli from Haunting of Bly Manor, or Bridgerton heartthrob Rege-Jean Page? Could none of them equally embody brilliant, awkward, focused, family men? Many of these actors have showcased those characteristics in their work about as much as Krasinski has in his, and they look equally as close to Mr. Fantastic as anyone.

Ultimately, the decisions made by studios are done by a panel of people ranging from the writers, directors, and producers of a film, to the casting director. And they’re done by them for a reason. These are people who know talent, chemistry, and the industry backwards and forwards, and also know the universe they developed inside and out. People like Kevin Feige, Jon Favreau, and Sarah Finn created the MCU by taking chances on actors that best fit the parts they were auditioning to play. The decisions were not rooted in superficial reasons like "what's a hot movie right now?" or “that fan-art looks great!” Without them Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pratt, Paul Rudd, etc. would never have become key players in this universe. In other words, they are the most qualified individuals to decide on who the definitive actors should be for the roles they're creating. 

Going back as recently as last month, rumors circulated about Jennifer Lawrence being courted to play Sue Storm. While they were debunked, the internet went insane, cursing the decision to the heavens. Partially because people soured on Lawrence after her last performance as Mystique, partially because it wasn't Emily Blunt, the popular fan-choice for the role. Let's say, hypothetically speaking, that it had been true. What if under Feige, Watts, and Finn, Lawrence was chosen? Why would this be a problem? She's has objectively proven her skills as an actress, winning an Oscar and having been nominated several times over. She looks the part enough.

We have to avoid situations where, as fans, we're not allowing our passions to get the better of us. Being excited about something is great. It's what being a fan is all about! But where we hit a problem is where that excitement results in the emotional attacks on other people.

All this said, it's important to remember that if casting decisions were determined by fans, the world would not have gotten Michael Keaton as Batman (or Ben Affleck). Nor Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, or Heath Ledger as the Joker. Those decisions have now become the standards at which all superhero performances are compared. Thus, a reminder to all to just keep an open mind. Let go of what "should" be the definitive casting choice for characters as depicted in a Bosslogic image. Instead formulate informed opinions based on character. And for the love of Feige, trust in Sarah Finn and Marvel Studios.

Sony Pictures Entertainment and the Walt Disney Company today announced a deal that will give the latter streaming and TV rights for theatrical releases from 2022 through 2026. The deal will allow for new films to hit Disney+ as well as Hulu, and also linear networks like ABC, the various Disney channels, Freeform, FX and National Geographic. 

The deal also grants rights to a number of titles already in the Sony library, including Jumanji, Hotel Transylvania — and the Marvel films whose characters are owned by Sony, which means Spider-Man.

Hulu will start getting "a significant number" of those catalog films starting this June.

“This landmark multi-year, platform agnostic agreement guarantees the team at Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution a tremendous amount of flexibility and breadth of programming possibilities to leverage Sony’s rich slate of award-winning action and family films across our direct-to-consumer services and linear channels,” said Chuck Saftler, head of Business Operations for ABC, Freeform, FX Networks, and Acquisitions in DMED’s Networks division, who played a key role in the negotiations. “This is a win for fans, who will benefit from the ability to access the very best content from two of Hollywood’s most prolific studios across a multitude of viewing platforms and experiences.”

Terms of the deal weren't disclosed. But chances are they weren't cheap, and are balanced more in Sony's favor, since it'll fill a Peter Parker-sized hole in the Marvel Cinematic Universe on Disney Plus. Previously, films like Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home were unavailable on Disney+.

And the new films won't hit Disney+ immediately. That's way too much to ask for. Instead, we'll have to wait until the usual video-on-demand window opens up.

Still, it's far better than nothing. 

“This groundbreaking agreement reconfirms the unique and enduring value of our movies to film lovers and the platforms and networks that serve them,” said Keith Le Goy, president, Worldwide Distribution and Networks, Sony Pictures Entertainment. “We are thrilled to team up with Disney on delivering our titles to their viewers and subscribers. This agreement cements a key piece of our film distribution strategy, which is to maximize the value of each of our films, by making them available to consumers across all windows with a wide range of key partners.”

Disney just announced Assembled, a series of documentaries that will delve deep into how Marvel Studios brought the MCU to life. Disney has already given the same treatment to The Mandalorian and Frozen 2, with behind-the-scenes documentaries for both available to stream on Disney+.

The first episode of Assembled is a special purely devoted to WandaVision. Assembled: The Making of WandaVision will join Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany and WandaVision’s creative team and pull back the curtain on how they brought the acclaimed series to life. 

The announcement was made on Twitter, and you can see that tweet below:

Here's how Marvel described Assembled: The Making of WandaVision:

‘Learn how the production’s surprising concept took shape by drawing inspiration from classic sitcoms. Witness how the crew went to great lengths to emulate various filmmaking methods used during the early years of television. Discover the unique challenges and ultimate rewards of performing an entire episode in front of a live studio audience. Spend time with exciting newcomers to the MCU, such as Teyonah Parris and Kathryn Hahn, along with returning favorites like Kat Dennings and Randall Park.’

Assembled: The Making of WandaVision will air exclusively on Disney+ on March 12, just one week after WandaVision ends. This fills the gap left between WandaVision's conclusion and the return of Bucky and Sam Wilson in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.  

Future episodes of Assembled will take a look at other MCU shows like The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Loki, Hawkeye, and the long-awaited Black Widow movie, too. Expect exclusive on-set footage and interviews with filmmakers and stars like Jeremy Renner and Scarlett Johansson along the way.

Each additional installment of Assembled will land on Disney+ after MCU movies hit theaters, or when MCU shows finish a season on Disney+.

WandaVision has been a consistently curious entry in the MCU for its entire season, offering us more and more teasers for what we can expect from Phase 4 of one of the biggest entertainment franchises around. 

Also be sure to give Disney+ a go on Apple TV for the best experience.

• Everything you need to know about Disney+
• The best Disney+ movies
• All about the Disney+ Premier Access program
• Disney+ price: What it costs where you live

If you’re wondering how to watch Thor: The Dark World, you’ve come to the right place. In this 2013 sequel, we get to see a different side of Chris Hemsworth’s rendition of Thor — the God of Thunder. His love interest, Jane Foster, played by Natalie Portman, discovers interdimensional portals connected to an age-old conflict between Asgardians and an ancient race called the Dark Elves.

When Foster becomes host to an evil force called "the Aether," Thor must protect his love while fending off evil and saving the nine realms. This film sets the stage for the rest of the MCU by introducing pivotal characters, developing Thor as a character and forcing him into dark situations that transform the character forever. Though director Alan Taylor didn’t get another shot to direct before Taika Waititi took over, he paved the way for Thor: Ragnarok.

• How to watch the Marvel movies in order

How to watch Thor: The Dark World on Disney+

Viewing Thor: The Dark World is easier than ever with a subscription to Disney+. At a low rate of $5.99 per month, subscribers to this service gain access to this film and nearly every movie in the MCU catalog in addition to hundreds of original films and shows from Disney, National Geographic and Star Wars.

Another way to gain access to Thor: The Dark World and more is with a subscription to the Disney+ Bundle, which packages three premier streaming services for two-thirds of the price. For $12.99 per month, you’ll gain access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu at a discounted rate. This way, you can keep up with the whole MCU catalog and entertain your whole family.

How to watch Thor: The Dark World everywhere else:

Renting Thor: The Dark World is simpler than ever as an alternative to a Disney+ subscription. The film is available to rent on a variety of priced in high definition at $3.99. To do so, head over to Amazon Prime Video, the iTunes store, Vudu, YouTube or the Google Play store. If you’d like to purchase the film, you can do so on most of these platforms including Amazon Prime Video for $19.99.

Should you watch Thor: The Dark World on Disney+ or somewhere else?

Renting the film is a great way to see it once and be done with it, but Disney+ is nearly the same price for access to tons of great MCU content including Thor: The Dark World. Beyond that, you’ll gain access to every film in the Thor franchise and everything it connected with in the immersive Marvel Cinematic Universe. You can’t beat the price-point and value in a subscription to Disney+.

The four phases of the MCU

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is made up of four phases, with the "Infinity Saga" making up Phase 3. Black Widow is scheduled to be the first movie of Phase 4, but its release was delayed due to the global pandemic shutting down theaters.

MCU Phase 1

• Iron Man (May 2, 2008)
• The Incredible Hulk (June 13, 2008)
• Iron Man 2 (May 7, 2010)
• Thor (May 6, 2011)
• Captain America: The First Avenger (July 22, 2011)
• Marvel's The Avengers (May 4, 2012)

MCU Phase 2

• Iron Man 3 (May 3, 2013)
• Thor: The Dark World (Nov. 8, 2013)
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4, 2014)
• Guardians of the Galaxy (Aug. 1, 2014)
• Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1, 2015)
• Ant-Man (July 17, 2015)

MCU Phase 3

• Captain America: Civil War (May 6, 2016)
• Doctor Strange (Nov. 4, 2016)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (May 5, 2017)
• Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 7, 2017)
• Thor: Ragnarok (Nov. 3, 2017)
• Black Panther (Feb. 16, 2018)
• Avengers: Infinity War (April 27, 2018)
• Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 6, 2018)
• Captain Marvel (March 8, 2019)
• Avengers: Endgame (April 26, 2019)
• Spider-Man: Far From Home (July 2, 2019)

MCU Phase 4

• Black Widow (July 9, 2021)
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (September 3, 2021)
• Eternals (Nov. 5, 2021)
• Spider-Man: No Way Home (Christmas 2021)
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (March 25, 2022)
• Thor: Love and Thunder (May 6, 2022)
• Black Panther 2 (July 8, 2022)
• The Marvels (Nov. 11, 2022)

Marvel fans looking for how to watch Ant-Man and the Wasp need not look any further. We've got you covered. 

This 2018 team-up between Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man and Evangeline Lilly as Hope Van Dyne/Wasp was the first Marvel movie released after (spoiler!) half of the universe got turned to dust in Avengers: Infinity War. So yeah, it carries some significance for our heroes. But it's also a fun comic book romp that prompts some questions about what you'd do if you could shrink or grow yourself at will. Or maybe that's just me. 

Anyway, Ant-Man and the Wasp also stars Michael Douglas, Hannah John-Kamen, Michael Pena and Michell Pfeiffer.

Am I piquing your interest? Then keep reading to find out how to watch this flick.  

• MORE: How to watch the Marvel movies in order

How to watch Ant-Man and the Wasp on Disney Plus

You may have heard of Disney. You know, Mickey Mouse etc. Well did you know the entertainment giant has a streaming service? Well that service, dubbed Disney+, has a lot of stuff on it. And I mean a lot. 

That includes most of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, such as Ant-Man and the Wasp. For $6.99 per month or $69.99 a year you can subscribe to Disney+ and watch this movie and other Marvel heroes as much as you want. You could also toggle over to Star Wars, Pixar and classic Disney movies as well. 

If that's not enough for you, you can bundle Disney+ with Hulu and ESPN+ for $13 a month. That means you can switch to Hulu and watch the latest TV hits or catch some sports content from ESPN's supplementary streaming service.

How to watch Ant-Man and the Wasp elsewhere

If you're not interested in Disney+, you have other options for watching Ant-Man and the Wasp. 

There's always the option of renting or buying the movie, which will cost you a few bucks to rent or around $20 to buy. If you rent it, you'll have access to the movie for a limited time,  and if you buy it, it'll stay on your account forever. You can go that route with services like Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube or Vudu. 

It also appears you can access this movie with a subscription to Hulu With Live TV  ($55 per month) or Sling's Blue package ($30 per month).

But if you're a big Marvel fan, it's hard to go wrong with Disney+, where most of the MCU movies are right at your fingertips for a monthly or yearly subscription. But the choice is yours, consumer. 

• Everything you need to know about Disney+
• All about the Disney+ Premier Access program
• Disney+ price: What it costs where you live

The four phases of the MCU

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is made up of four phases, with the "Infinity Saga" making up Phase 3. Black Widow is scheduled to be the first movie of Phase 4, but its release was delayed due to the global pandemic shutting down theaters.

MCU Phase 1

• Iron Man (May 2, 2008)
• The Incredible Hulk (June 13, 2008)
• Iron Man 2 (May 7, 2010)
• Thor (May 6, 2011)
• Captain America: The First Avenger (July 22, 2011)
• Marvel's The Avengers (May 4, 2012)

MCU Phase 2

• Iron Man 3 (May 3, 2013)
• Thor: The Dark World (Nov. 8, 2013)
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4, 2014)
• Guardians of the Galaxy (Aug. 1, 2014)
• Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1, 2015)
• Ant-Man (July 17, 2015)

MCU Phase 3

• Captain America: Civil War (May 6, 2016)
• Doctor Strange (Nov. 4, 2016)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (May 5, 2017)
• Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 7, 2017)
• Thor: Ragnarok (Nov. 3, 2017)
• Black Panther (Feb. 16, 2018)
• Avengers: Infinity War (April 27, 2018)
• Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 6, 2018)
• Captain Marvel (March 8, 2019)
• Avengers: Endgame (April 26, 2019)
• Spider-Man: Far From Home (July 2, 2019)

MCU Phase 4

• Black Widow (July 9, 2021)
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (September 3, 2021)
• Eternals (Nov. 5, 2021)
• Spider-Man: No Way Home (Christmas 2021)
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (March 25, 2022)
• Thor: Love and Thunder (May 6, 2022)
• Black Panther 2 (July 8, 2022)
• The Marvels (Nov. 11, 2022)

Wondering how to watch The Incredible Hulk? First off, I respect your interest in an almost-forgotten Marvel movie! Second off, you've come to the right place for answers. 

If you'll remember, The Incredible Hulk was the 2008 movie that served as an early installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It also marked the only appearance by Edward Norton as Bruce Banner, the scientist-turned-Hulk who's now played by Mark Ruffalo. 

If you're itching to remember what this movie was all about, then keep reading. 

• MORE: How to watch all the Marvel movies in order
• ALSO: Disney Plus on Apple TV

How to watch The Incredible Hulk

The easiest way for you to find other Marvel movies would simply be to sign up for Disney+, the streaming service from the entertainment giant. 

But due to some issues with distribution rights, The Incredible Hulk can't be found on Disney+ for now. Instead, you'll have to stick to renting or buying this movie. 

Which is a shame, because Disney+ does offer a home for much of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and costs just $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year. And it carries a bunch of other popular movies and shows, from Star Wars to The Simpsons. If you're OK without seeing The Incredible Hulk but want to watch the other Marvel heroes in action, it remains a solid choice. 

How to watch The Incredible Hulk elsewhere

If Disney+ doesn't seem like your thing, you can still rent or buy The Incredible Hulk online. 

If you want to stick to renting, it'll cost you $4 to do so from places like iTunes, YouTube, Google Play, Vudu or Amazon Prime Video. You'll be able to hold on to it temporarily, then you'll lose access. Or you could buy it from somewhere between $10 and $15 on those platforms and have it on your preferred device forever. It's up to you!

• Everything you need to know about Disney+
• All about the Disney+ Premier Access program
• Disney+ price: What it costs where you live

The four phases of the MCU

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is made up of four phases, with the "Infinity Saga" making up Phase 3. Black Widow is scheduled to be the first movie of Phase 4, but its release was delayed due to the global pandemic shutting down theaters.

MCU Phase 1

• Iron Man (May 2, 2008)
• The Incredible Hulk (June 13, 2008)
• Iron Man 2 (May 7, 2010)
• Thor (May 6, 2011)
• Captain America: The First Avenger (July 22, 2011)
• Marvel's The Avengers (May 4, 2012)

MCU Phase 2

• Iron Man 3 (May 3, 2013)
• Thor: The Dark World (Nov. 8, 2013)
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4, 2014)
• Guardians of the Galaxy (Aug. 1, 2014)
• Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1, 2015)
• Ant-Man (July 17, 2015)

MCU Phase 3

• Captain America: Civil War (May 6, 2016)
• Doctor Strange (Nov. 4, 2016)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (May 5, 2017)
• Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 7, 2017)
• Thor: Ragnarok (Nov. 3, 2017)
• Black Panther (Feb. 16, 2018)
• Avengers: Infinity War (April 27, 2018)
• Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 6, 2018)
• Captain Marvel (March 8, 2019)
• Avengers: Endgame (April 26, 2019)
• Spider-Man: Far From Home (July 2, 2019)

MCU Phase 4

• Black Widow (July 9, 2021)
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (September 3, 2021)
• Eternals (Nov. 5, 2021)
• Spider-Man: No Way Home (Christmas 2021)
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (March 25, 2022)
• Thor: Love and Thunder (May 6, 2022)
• Black Panther 2 (July 8, 2022)
• The Marvels (Nov. 11, 2022)

If you’re here to discover how to watch Captain America: The First Avenger, rest assured — You’ve arrived at the right place! Follow along this cunning journey as scrawny Steve Rodgers takes a risk by joining an initiative that sees him become the United States’ symbol of hope: Captain America.

The arrival of Chris Evans as this iconic character marked the beginning of an era that included three Captain America films, a handful of appearances in other MCU films and one of the most beloved figures in modern pop culture. Cap is a classic comic book character who became seemingly outdated in the modern era of comics, but the depiction imagined by Evans and director Joe Johnston captured the hearts of moviegoers everywhere.

This film showcases a little bit of everything: Heart, a classic love story, fantastic action, a man overcoming his circumstances and a unique look at American culture and the way it approaches war. Beyond being a flashy film and a catalyst in the success of the MCU, Captain America: The First Avenger makes statements about our past and how we, as a society, can improve for the future.

• MORE: How to watch the Marvel movies in order

How to watch Captain America: The First Avenger on Disney+:

Watching Captain America: The First Avenger is an easy process that begins with a subscription to Disney+. For a low, monthly rate of $5.99, subscribers to Disney+ gain access to this film and many others in the MCU catalog. It’s a manageable price for the streaming service that brings some of the most coveted properties and series to your living room.

If you’re looking to improve the reach of your streaming services, you may want to consider the Disney+ Bundle. This offers access to three premier streaming services for the price of only two. A subscription provides access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for only $12.99 per month. This way, you can entertain your whole family with a wide variety of sports programming, children’s streaming options and plenty of great options for adults as well.

How to watch Captain America: The First Avenger elsewhere:

One option for those hoping to watch Captain America: The First Avenger is to rent it using one of the many services on the market. It’s available to rent in HD for $3.99 on the iTunes Store, Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, YouTube and the Google Play Store. It’s also available to purchase for $22.99 on Amazon. If you’re a Prime Member, this film is available to stream as part of your subscription for the time being.

Should you watch Captain America: The First Avenger on Disney+ or elsewhere?

Not only is watching Captain America: The First Avenger easy with Disney+, but it’s a great way to catch up with all that the MCU has to offer. You can watch each of the Captain America films in order and catch up with all of the fantastic offerings of the streaming service. Beyond Cap’s films, you can watch nearly every film produced by the MCU in addition to a wide variety of Disney films and shows, National Geographic programming and installations from the Star Wars franchise.

Renting films should only be a necessity these days. If it’s not on a streaming service then by all means, go ahead and rent it, but there’s no need if it’s on a service like Disney+. 

• Everything you need to know about Disney+
• All about the Disney+ Premier Access program
• Disney+ price: What it costs where you live

The four phases of the MCU

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is made up of four phases, with the "Infinity Saga" making up Phase 3. Black Widow is scheduled to be the first movie of Phase 4, but its release was delayed due to the global pandemic shutting down theaters.

MCU Phase 1

• Iron Man (May 2, 2008)
• The Incredible Hulk (June 13, 2008)
• Iron Man 2 (May 7, 2010)
• Thor (May 6, 2011)
• Captain America: The First Avenger (July 22, 2011)
• Marvel's The Avengers (May 4, 2012)

MCU Phase 2

• Iron Man 3 (May 3, 2013)
• Thor: The Dark World (Nov. 8, 2013)
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4, 2014)
• Guardians of the Galaxy (Aug. 1, 2014)
• Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1, 2015)
• Ant-Man (July 17, 2015)

MCU Phase 3

• Captain America: Civil War (May 6, 2016)
• Doctor Strange (Nov. 4, 2016)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (May 5, 2017)
• Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 7, 2017)
• Thor: Ragnarok (Nov. 3, 2017)
• Black Panther (Feb. 16, 2018)
• Avengers: Infinity War (April 27, 2018)
• Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 6, 2018)
• Captain Marvel (March 8, 2019)
• Avengers: Endgame (April 26, 2019)
• Spider-Man: Far From Home (July 2, 2019)

MCU Phase 4

• Black Widow (July 9, 2021)
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (September 3, 2021)
• Eternals (Nov. 5, 2021)
• Spider-Man: No Way Home (Christmas 2021)
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (March 25, 2022)
• Thor: Love and Thunder (May 6, 2022)
• Black Panther 2 (July 8, 2022)
• The Marvels (Nov. 11, 2022)

Looking to find out how to watch Captain America: Civil War? Look no further, because we have the answer. 

Perhaps it's fitting that this movie came out during the last presidential election year. After all, it's full of conflict and division, as the heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe debate over their future. Driving the storyline is personal and philosophical differences between the two leadership figures, Captain America and Iron Man, played by Chris Evans and Robert Downey, Jr., respectively. 

Elsewhere, we have a laundry list of heroes in Captain America: Civil War, including the introduction of Tom Holland as Spider-Man and Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther. 

Enough reminiscing. Let's get down to business. 

• MORE: How to watch the Marvel movies in order

How to watch Captain America: Civil War on Disney Plus

The Marvel Cinematic Universe certainly is vast. About two dozen movies have been made about these comic book heroes, and they're not even done! So having all of these movies in one place may be the most logical option for Marvel fans. 

That's where Disney+ comes in. The streaming service from Disney carries Captain America: Civil War along with other MCU movies, Star Wars movies and shows, The Simpsons and classic Disney content. It costs $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year. With this, you can watch a Captain America movie one day and switch over to Iron Man the next. All you do is pay for the subscription, set it up on any of the popular devices that supports Disney+ and start watching. It's pretty simple. 

To sweeten the pot, Disney is offering a bundle with Hulu and ESPN+ for $12.99 per month. Hulu is the streaming service known for carrying the latest TV shows and some movies, while ESPN+ is the supplementary service from ESPN that carries some live sports as well as original content. 

How to watch Captain America: Civil War elsewhere

If a Disney+ subscription doesn't seem like your jam, you have other options as well. 

You could always rent or buy Captain America: Civil War. That would involve going through a service like iTunes, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play or Vudu and paying a few bucks to rent or around $20 to buy it. If you rent it, you have access to it for a few days, and buying it keeps it on your device. It's pretty straightforward. 

But if you are a Marvel fan and plan on watching this and other superhero movies for a while, it's hard to go wrong with Disney+. Again, you just pay a subscription and fire it up. Watch as much or as little as you want. 

Seems like an easy decision, but the choice is yours. 

• Everything you need to know about Disney+
• All about the Disney+ Premier Access program
• Disney+ price: What it costs where you live

MCU Phase 1

• Iron Man (May 2, 2008)
• The Incredible Hulk (June 13, 2008)
• Iron Man 2 (May 7, 2010)
• Thor (May 6, 2011)
• Captain America: The First Avenger (July 22, 2011)
• Marvel's The Avengers (May 4, 2012)

MCU Phase 2

• Iron Man 3 (May 3, 2013)
• Thor: The Dark World (Nov. 8, 2013)
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4, 2014)
• Guardians of the Galaxy (Aug. 1, 2014)
• Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1, 2015)
• Ant-Man (July 17, 2015)

MCU Phase 3

• Captain America: Civil War (May 6, 2016)
• Doctor Strange (Nov. 4, 2016)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (May 5, 2017)
• Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 7, 2017)
• Thor: Ragnarok (Nov. 3, 2017)
• Black Panther (Feb. 16, 2018)
• Avengers: Infinity War (April 27, 2018)
• Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 6, 2018
• Captain Marvel (March 8, 2019)
• Avengers: Endgame (April 26, 2019)
• Spider-Man: Far From Home (July 2, 2019)

MCU Phase 4

• Black Widow
• Eternals
• Chang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
• Spider-Man: [Untitled]
• Thor: Love and Thunder
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

If you want to know how to watch Captain Marvel, you’ve come to the right place. Bridging the gap between Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, 2019’s Captain Marvel takes us back in time to 1995 on a fantastical journey starring some familiar faces from the MCU. 

Carol Danvers a.k.a. Captain Marvel is a Kree warrior with extraordinary powers who can’t pinpoint her personal history. She’s sent on a daring journey that sends her crash landing to Earth, where she’s tracked by a younger version of Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury. Though the pair is wary of each other to start, they find that they’ll need to rely on each other to uncover the truth about a plot that threatens the universe as they know it.

Not only does Captain Marvel pave the way for the events of Avengers: Endgame, but it takes us back to a simpler time on a dazzling adventure that keeps its viewers glued to their seats.

• MORE: How to watch the Marvel movies in order

How to watch Captain Marvel on Disney+:

Streaming Captain Marvel is easier than ever with a subscription to Disney+. For only $5.99 per month, subscribers gain access to the entire Disney catalog including a wide range of MCU movies and properties. In addition to that, subscribers get to watch Star Wars properties and National Geographic programming as part of their subscription.

This isn’t the only way to subscribe to the service. For only $12.99 per month, you can sign up for the Disney+ Bundle. This is a deal that includes three of the best streaming services on the market at an extremely discounted rate. By subscribing to the bundle, you’ll gain access to all that Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ have to offer.

By going with this route, you can watch any of the MCU films available on Disney+ in addition to live sporting events and exclusive sports programming from ESPN+. Furthermore, Hulu is extremely underrated compared with its streaming competitors with a ton of solid television programs and movies available to stream at a moment’s notice.

How to watch Captain Marvel everywhere else:

An alternative to subscribing to Disney+ is renting or purchasing Captain Marvel elsewhere online. You can rent the film in HD on Amazon Prime Video for $3.99, giving you a chance to watch it within a 48-hour window on their service. The same applied to the other platforms where this movie is available to rent: The iTunes Store, Vudu, the Google Play store and YouTube within the same price range. If you hope to purchase the film, you can do so on Amazon for $14.99.

Should you watch Captain Marvel on Disney+ or elsewhere?

Of course, this is going to be a matter of preference. However, we’re partial to Disney+ because of the insane value and wide range of streaming content that’s available on the platform. Renting the film costs only two dollars less than one month of Disney+. For those interested in binge-watching MCU films or simply returning to your favorites, a subscription is a way better value.

Plus, there’s so much more to offer on Disney+ than just Captain Marvel. Great original shows including The Mandalorian are constantly in the works for this service that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. Anyone looking to entertain their family would be wise to sign up for Disney+ as one of the most reliable services you could ask for.

The four phases of the MCU

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is made up of four phases, with the "Infinity Saga" making up Phase 3. Black Widow is scheduled to be the first movie of Phase 4, but its release was delayed due to the global pandemic shutting down theaters.

MCU Phase 1

• Iron Man (May 2, 2008)
• The Incredible Hulk (June 13, 2008)
• Iron Man 2 (May 7, 2010)
• Thor (May 6, 2011)
• Captain America: The First Avenger (July 22, 2011)
• Marvel's The Avengers (May 4, 2012)

MCU Phase 2

• Iron Man 3 (May 3, 2013)
• Thor: The Dark World (Nov. 8, 2013)
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4, 2014)
• Guardians of the Galaxy (Aug. 1, 2014)
• Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1, 2015)
• Ant-Man (July 17, 2015)

MCU Phase 3

• Captain America: Civil War (May 6, 2016)
• Doctor Strange (Nov. 4, 2016)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (May 5, 2017)
• Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 7, 2017)
• Thor: Ragnarok (Nov. 3, 2017)
• Black Panther (Feb. 16, 2018)
• Avengers: Infinity War (April 27, 2018)
• Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 6, 2018)
• Captain Marvel (March 8, 2019)
• Avengers: Endgame (April 26, 2019)
• Spider-Man: Far From Home (July 2, 2019)

MCU Phase 4

• Black Widow (July 9, 2021)
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (September 3, 2021)
• Eternals (Nov. 5, 2021)
• Spider-Man: No Way Home (Christmas 2021)
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (March 25, 2022)
• Thor: Love and Thunder (May 6, 2022)
• Black Panther 2 (July 8, 2022)
• The Marvels (Nov. 11, 2022)

We're here to answer your questions about how to watch Avengers: Endgame — The highest-grossing film of all-time. Though it's technically a sequel Avengers: Endgame is tonally very different from the other films in its MCU lineage. Those massive events that took place at the end of Avengers: Infinity War cast a shadow over the film.

The audience is thrust into a totally different version of the MCU world than what we had going into the previous movie. Characters are forced to adjust to the events of the previous film, finding themselves in various stages of life as some cope better than others. All of that changes when Paul Rudd's Ant-Man opens up a scheme that could reshape the events of the previous film.

While the previous film left viewers yearning for more, Avengers: Endgame puts a bow on the storylines left open-ended in previous films. It's the second-to-last film its phase and ultimately, is the film that puts a bookend on this era of MCU movies.

• MORE: How to watch all the Marvel movies in order

How to watch Avengers: Endgame on Disney+

All it takes to watch Avengers: Endgame is a subscription to Disney+. For the low, monthly rate of $5.99 per month, subscribers gain access to almost every MCU film including this stunning bookend to the Infinity Saga.

There's another fantastic option for those looking for a greater pool of streaming services to choose from. The Disney+ Bundle features three elite streaming services at a discounted rate of $12.99 per month. At the cost of two subscriptions, you'll gain access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu, which should cover most of your entertainment needs.

With the Disney+ Bundle, you can catch live events or other sports programming when they're on and flip over to watch your favorite MCU afterward. Each of these services produces unique, original content that you cannot find anywhere else.

How to watch Avengers: Endgame everywhere else:

There are other ways to watch Avengers: Endgame besides Disney+. If you're interested in renting the film, you can do so on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, Vudu, or Google Play at $3.99. These services provide access to stream the film on any number of devices for 48 hours. If you'd rather purchase the film, you can do so for $19.99 on Amazon.

Should you watch Avengers: Endgame on Disney+ or somewhere else?

To be quite frank, this is a matter of personal preference. If you want to purchase or rent the film for 48 hours and be done with it, then you can do so and walk away. However, you'll be missing out on a great opportunity with Disney+.

Chances are, you've got some vested interested in the Marvel Cinematic Universe if you're trying to track down Avengers: Endgame on the internet. Purchasing a subscription to Disney+ is a great way to save money when seeking out the incredible films in the first three phases of the MCU.

Streaming two MCU movies on another platform costs more than the price of a one-month subscription to Disney+. In addition to Marvel properties, Disney+ is home to some of the biggest names in film and television production including the entire Disney/Pixar catalog, Star Wars, The Simpson and National Geographic, just to name a few.

Once you subscribe, you'll never look back from the many offerings of Disney+.

The four phases of the MCU

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is made up of four phases, with the "Infinity Saga" making up Phase 3. Black Widow is scheduled to be the first movie of Phase 4, but its release was delayed due to the global pandemic shutting down theaters.

MCU Phase 1

• Iron Man (May 2, 2008)
• The Incredible Hulk (June 13, 2008)
• Iron Man 2 (May 7, 2010)
• Thor (May 6, 2011)
• Captain America: The First Avenger (July 22, 2011)
• Marvel's The Avengers (May 4, 2012)

MCU Phase 2

• Iron Man 3 (May 3, 2013)
• Thor: The Dark World (Nov. 8, 2013)
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4, 2014)
• Guardians of the Galaxy (Aug. 1, 2014)
• Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1, 2015)
• Ant-Man (July 17, 2015)

MCU Phase 3

• Captain America: Civil War (May 6, 2016)
• Doctor Strange (Nov. 4, 2016)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (May 5, 2017)
• Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 7, 2017)
• Thor: Ragnarok (Nov. 3, 2017)
• Black Panther (Feb. 16, 2018)
• Avengers: Infinity War (April 27, 2018)
• Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 6, 2018
• Captain Marvel (March 8, 2019)
• Avengers: Endgame (April 26, 2019)
• Spider-Man: Far From Home (July 2, 2019)

MCU Phase 4

• Black Widow (July 9, 2021)
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (September 3, 2021)
• Eternals (Nov. 5, 2021)
• Spider-Man: No Way Home (Christmas 2021)
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (March 25, 2022)
• Thor: Love and Thunder (May 6, 2022)
• Black Panther 2 (July 8, 2022)
• The Marvels (Nov. 11, 2022)

For those interested in how to watch Avengers: Infinity War, you’ve arrived at the right place.

Of the 23 MCU movies released to date, Avengers: Infinity War is the most important of the bunch. The culmination of every film leading up to it, the Russo Brothers’ masterpiece of a comic book movie took the best elements from each franchise and told a cohesive story that tied them all together. During the course of the film, you'll find yourself laughing, crying, gasping and shouting in excitement as the characters you’ve come to know and love coexist in an epic storyline.

Beyond the impact of this movie had on the landscape of superhero films, Avengers: Infinity War is one of the most successful films of all time. It peaked at No. 4 on the list of the highest-grossing films and currently sits fifth, just behind Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The only MCU film to surpass it was its sequel, Avengers: Endgame.

What was once a niche category of movies became the standard for worldwide blockbusters by the time that Avengers: Infinity War released. Beyond that, the Russo Brothers put on a clinic for how to make the ideal superhero film.  Not only did it do justice to the characters and worlds that we've become established with, but it gave shine to everyone who deserved it within their universe. 

Not everyone gets to be a star of the show, like Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man or Josh Brolin as Thanos, but your favorite characters have their strongest traits highlighted while fighting to save the world. Characters explored locations new and old to unlock what truly has become the pride and joy of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

• MORE: How to watch all the Marvel movies in order

How to watch Avengers: Infinity War on Disney+

Whether you’re returning to this epic story or embarking on the journey for the first time, Disney+ is the best way to view Avengers: Infinity War. For only $5.99 per month, you can subscribe and gain access to the massive catalog of live-action and animated films under the Disney umbrella.

Another option that’s highly recommended to users looking for a wide range of streaming content is the Disney+ Bundle. With this deal, subscribers gain access to three leaders in the streaming landscape. A subscription to the Disney+ bundle provides access to Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu at $12.99 per month, which is the cost of two subscriptions. Not only is it a fantastic value, but it creates a complete range of access for your streaming needs.

This way, you can watch Avengers: Infinity War and the MCU collection whenever you want. Plus, you can check out a wide variety of live events and original programming from the worldwide leader in sports broadcasting. Hulu is also home to a great range of content with something for everyone.

How to watch Avengers: Infinity War everywhere else:

If you’re looking for an alternative to Disney+, you can rent or purchase Avengers: Infinity War on various platforms at a reasonable price. For $3.99 you can rent Avengers: Infinity War on Amazon Prime Video for 48 hours. If you’re looking to purchase the film, it will cost you $19.99. The price point remains relatively consistent across platforms. It’s a matter of preference, but you can also rent/buy the film on the iTunes Store, Google Play store, YouTube TV, or Vudu.

Should you watch Avengers: Infinity War on Disney+ or somewhere else?

Honestly, subscribing to Disney+ is going to be a much better option for most people. You can rent the film and watch it within a 48-hour window for two-thirds of the cost of a Disney+ subscription. With that monthly subscription, you can stream nearly every MCU movie. For those looking to get through the MCU catalog, subscribing to Disney+ is a much more cost-effective way to stream these iconic movies compared with rentals.

Beyond that, Disney+ offers a lot more than just MCU movies. They have original MCU television shows on the way with their first slated for later this year. Disney also owns Star Wars, one of the most beloved IP‘s in the world. With critically-acclaimed television show The Mandalorian debuting its second season later in the year, you won’t want to mess Disney+‘s original programming slate this year.

That alone makes a strong case for a Disney+ subscription, and we haven’t even discussed all of the original Disney/Pixar films and television shows available through the service. It’s a cost-effective, reliable and user-friendly way to watch your favorite video content.

• Everything you need to know about Disney+
• All about the Disney+ Premier Access program
• Disney+ price: What it costs where you live
• The best movies on Disney+

The four phases of the MCU

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is made up of four phases, with the "Infinity Saga" making up Phase 3. Black Widow is scheduled to be the first movie of Phase 4, but its release was delayed due to the global pandemic shutting down theaters.

MCU Phase 1

• Iron Man (May 2, 2008)
• The Incredible Hulk (June 13, 2008)
• Iron Man 2 (May 7, 2010)
• Thor (May 6, 2011)
• Captain America: The First Avenger (July 22, 2011)
• Marvel's The Avengers (May 4, 2012)

MCU Phase 2

• Iron Man 3 (May 3, 2013)
• Thor: The Dark World (Nov. 8, 2013)
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4, 2014)
• Guardians of the Galaxy (Aug. 1, 2014)
• Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1, 2015)
• Ant-Man (July 17, 2015)

MCU Phase 3

• Captain America: Civil War (May 6, 2016)
• Doctor Strange (Nov. 4, 2016)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (May 5, 2017)
• Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 7, 2017)
• Thor: Ragnarok (Nov. 3, 2017)
• Black Panther (Feb. 16, 2018)
• Avengers: Infinity War (April 27, 2018)
• Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 6, 2018)
• Captain Marvel (March 8, 2019)
• Avengers: Endgame (April 26, 2019)
• Spider-Man: Far From Home (July 2, 2019)

MCU Phase 4

• Black Widow (July 9, 2021)
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (September 3, 2021)
• Eternals (Nov. 5, 2021)
• Spider-Man: No Way Home (Christmas 2021)
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (March 25, 2022)
• Thor: Love and Thunder (May 6, 2022)
• Black Panther 2 (July 8, 2022)
• The Marvels (Nov. 11, 2022)

If you're for how to watch Thor: Ragnarok, you're in luck: That's the kind of question we're here to answer. 

Representing the third and most-fun installment in Marvel's story of this Norse hero, Thor: Ragnarok premiered in late 2017 and helped set up the Marvel movies for the epic Avengers: Infinity War a few months later. Director Taika Waititi adds a comedic flair to an otherwise action-packed adventure. 

It stars Chris Hemsworth as the title character, along with Tom Hiddleston as his meddlesome brother Loki and Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/the Hulk. Also in the mix are Cate Blanchett, Tessa Thompson and Jeff Goldblum. 

Need to know more? Keep that scroll bar rolling.

• MORE: How to watch the Marvel movies in order

How to watch Thor: Ragnarok on Disney Plus

Marvel Studios made Thor: Ragnarok. Disney owns Marvel Studios. Disney has a streaming service called Disney+. See where I'm going with this?

Your easiest option for watching Thor, along with all of his super friends is to subscribe to Disney+ for $6.99 per month or $69.99 a year. Along with Marvel movies, you'll get access to Disney classics, Star Wars, The Simpsons and original content. 

Also, you can bundle Disney+ with ESPN+ and Hulu for $13 per month. ESPN+ is a supplementary streaming service from the worldwide leader in sports that offers some live games and shows, and Hulu, of course, carries plenty of TV shows and some movies. 

How to watch Thor: Ragnarok elsewhere

If Disney+ doesn't sound like your cup of tea, you have other options. 

Of course, you could always rent or Thor: Ragnarok from services like iTunes, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play and Vudu. That'll run you a few bucks to rent or about $20 to buy. 

It also appears you can find the movie on Hulu With Live TV, which costs $55 per month, or through Sling's Blue package, which runs $30 per month. Check out our guides to Hulu With Live TV and Sling. Each of those services comes with a free trial and offers a range of channels that may pique your interest. 

Those options may work for a quick fix of Thor, but if you're planning to watch and rewatch the movies of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Disney+ might be a better idea. Just pay a monthly or yearly subscription, and stream your favorite comic book heroes as often as you want. 

• Everything you need to know about Disney+
• All about the Disney+ Premier Access program
• Disney+ price: What it costs where you live

The four phases of the MCU

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is made up of four phases, with the "Infinity Saga" making up Phase 3. Black Widow is scheduled to be the first movie of Phase 4, but its release was delayed due to the global pandemic shutting down theaters.

MCU Phase 1

• Iron Man (May 2, 2008)
• The Incredible Hulk (June 13, 2008)
• Iron Man 2 (May 7, 2010)
• Thor (May 6, 2011)
• Captain America: The First Avenger (July 22, 2011)
• Marvel's The Avengers (May 4, 2012)

MCU Phase 2

• Iron Man 3 (May 3, 2013)
• Thor: The Dark World (Nov. 8, 2013)
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4, 2014)
• Guardians of the Galaxy (Aug. 1, 2014)
• Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1, 2015)
• Ant-Man (July 17, 2015)

MCU Phase 3

• Captain America: Civil War (May 6, 2016)
• Doctor Strange (Nov. 4, 2016)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (May 5, 2017)
• Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 7, 2017)
• Thor: Ragnarok (Nov. 3, 2017)
• Black Panther (Feb. 16, 2018)
• Avengers: Infinity War (April 27, 2018)
• Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 6, 2018)
• Captain Marvel (March 8, 2019)
• Avengers: Endgame (April 26, 2019)
• Spider-Man: Far From Home (July 2, 2019)

MCU Phase 4

• Black Widow (July 9, 2021)
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (September 3, 2021)
• Eternals (Nov. 5, 2021)
• Spider-Man: No Way Home (Christmas 2021)
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (March 25, 2022)
• Thor: Love and Thunder (May 6, 2022)
• Black Panther 2 (July 8, 2022)
• The Marvels (Nov. 11, 2022)

Marvel fans looking for how to watch Doctor Strange certainly have options for watching the 2016 superhero origin story — but one streaming service may be the best option. 

If you haven't managed to catch up on these movies, this may be a big spoiler: Doctor Strange, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, may have been the most consequential character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, given his ability to predict the future, and later, his and his friends' power to basically teleport heroes to the big final battle against Thanos and his army.  And this is his story.

But before all that, he was a rude but successful neurosurgeon whose hands and career are mangled in a car wreck. He learns new powers that allow him to bend reality and time, however, and the rest is history. Doctor Strange also features Rachel McAdams, Tilda Swinton, and Mads Mikkelsen.

Want to find out how to watch Doctor Strange? Then keep reading!

• MORE: How to watch the Marvel movies in order

How to watch Doctor Strange on Disney Plus

The most obvious solution to your streaming search is simply to sign up for Disney+. After all, Disney owns Marvel Studios (along with a sizable portion of the entertainment industry) and offers Doctor Strange and movies about his other superhero friends on one streaming service. 

Disney+ goes for $6.99 per month or $69.99 a year. For that, you get access to a goldmine of content, from classic Disney movies to Star Wars and The Simpsons. 

Plus (pun intended), you can bundle Disney+ with ESPN+ and Hulu for $13 per month. ESPN+ is a supplementary streaming service from the worldwide leader in sports that offers some live games and shows, and Hulu, of course, carries plenty of TV shows and some movies. 

How to watch Doctor Strange elsewhere

If you're not interested in signing up for Disney+, you have other options. 

You could always rent or buy Doctor Strange from places like Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, iTunes or YouTube. That usually runs a few bucks for renting it and $20 for buying it. Just like Blockbuster, but on your computer ... or something. 

Meanwhile, it appears you can catch Doctor Strange on television streaming services like Hulu With Live TV, which runs $55 per month, FuboTV for $60 per month or Sling's Blue package for $30 per month. Each of those services comes with a free trial and includes a variety of channels that may interest you. 

Check out our guides to Hulu With Live TV, Sling and FuboTV. 

But if you're a diehard Marvel fan, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better option that Disney+. Once you sign up for a subscription, you can watch Doctor Strange all you want. Or you can mix it up with other Marvel heroes and the Star Wars saga. Or watch an old movie about a man who gets turned into a dog while he's running for district attorney (I didn't make that up, I swear.) It's totally up to you. 

• Everything you need to know about Disney+
• All about the Disney+ Premier Access program
• Disney+ price: What it costs where you live

MCU Phase 1

• Iron Man (May 2, 2008)
• The Incredible Hulk (June 13, 2008)
• Iron Man 2 (May 7, 2010)
• Thor (May 6, 2011)
• Captain America: The First Avenger (July 22, 2011)
• Marvel's The Avengers (May 4, 2012)

MCU Phase 2

• Iron Man 3 (May 3, 2013)
• Thor: The Dark World (Nov. 8, 2013)
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4, 2014)
• Guardians of the Galaxy (Aug. 1, 2014)
• Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1, 2015)
• Ant-Man (July 17, 2015)

MCU Phase 3

• Captain America: Civil War (May 6, 2016)
• Doctor Strange (Nov. 4, 2016)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (May 5, 2017)
• Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 7, 2017)
• Thor: Ragnarok (Nov. 3, 2017)
• Black Panther (Feb. 16, 2018)
• Avengers: Infinity War (April 27, 2018)
• Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 6, 2018)
• Captain Marvel (March 8, 2019)
• Avengers: Endgame (April 26, 2019)
• Spider-Man: Far From Home (July 2, 2019)

MCU Phase 4

• Black Widow (July 9, 2021)
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (September 3, 2021)
• Eternals (Nov. 5, 2021)
• Spider-Man: No Way Home (Christmas 2021)
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (March 25, 2022)
• Thor: Love and Thunder (May 6, 2022)
• Black Panther 2 (July 8, 2022)
• The Marvels (Nov. 11, 2022)

If you're wondering how to watch Ant-Man, chances are you like to root for the little guy. 

In this 2015 superhero origin story from Marvel Studios, Paul Rudd plays a cat burglar named Scott Lang who becomes pint-sized hero dubbed, obviously, Ant-Man, bringing with him of the actor's charm and humor. Seriously, when's the last time you weren't happy to see Paul Rudd in a movie? 

But enough about Paul Rudd. Here's how to watch Ant-Man.

• MORE: How to watch all the Marvel movies in order

The four phases of the MCU

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is made up of four phases, with the "Infinity Saga" making up Phase 3. Black Widow is scheduled to be the first movie of Phase 4, but its release was delayed due to the global pandemic shutting down theaters.

How to watch Ant-Man on Disney Plus

The quick and easy option for watching Ant-Man is simply to sign up for Disney+. The streaming service from the house of mouse costs $6.99 per month or $69.99 a year. 

If you're a big Marvel fan, Disney+ is definitely your best bet for watching Ant-Man and all of his friends. Besides the trove of superhero movies ready for streaming, you'll find Star Wars, Pixar and classic Disney movies at your fingertips. All you have to do is pay for a subscription, and stream it when you want. Easy peasy. 

And to sweeten the pot, you can bundle Disney+ with Hulu and ESPN+ for $13 a month. 

How to watch Ant-Man elsewhere

Remember renting and buying movies? Turns out you can still do that! I was surprised too. 

You can rent or buy Ant-Man from various services for about $4 and $20, respectively. That includes Amazon Prime Video, Vudu and iTunes. 

Renting a movie might be appealing when it first comes out, because it may not yet be available on a subscription-based streaming service. But Ant-Man has been out for a few years and is currently streaming on Disney+, and a yearly subscription to that service is only about three times as much as buying just one movie. 

So unless you're really, really into shrinking superheroes, Disney+ is probably your best option. That way, you can try some other, taller superheroes as well. 

• Everything you need to know about Disney+
• All about the Disney+ Premier Access program
• Disney+ price: What it costs where you live

The four phases of the MCU

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is made up of four phases, with the "Infinity Saga" making up Phase 3. Black Widow is scheduled to be the first movie of Phase 4, but its release was delayed due to the global pandemic shutting down theaters.

MCU Phase 1

• Iron Man (May 2, 2008)
• The Incredible Hulk (June 13, 2008)
• Iron Man 2 (May 7, 2010)
• Thor (May 6, 2011)
• Captain America: The First Avenger (July 22, 2011)
• Marvel's The Avengers (May 4, 2012)

MCU Phase 2

• Iron Man 3 (May 3, 2013)
• Thor: The Dark World (Nov. 8, 2013)
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4, 2014)
• Guardians of the Galaxy (Aug. 1, 2014)
• Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1, 2015)
• Ant-Man (July 17, 2015)

MCU Phase 3

• Captain America: Civil War (May 6, 2016)
• Doctor Strange (Nov. 4, 2016)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (May 5, 2017)
• Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 7, 2017)
• Thor: Ragnarok (Nov. 3, 2017)
• Black Panther (Feb. 16, 2018)
• Avengers: Infinity War (April 27, 2018)
• Ant-Man and the Wasp (July 6, 2018)
• Captain Marvel (March 8, 2019)
• Avengers: Endgame (April 26, 2019)
• Spider-Man: Far From Home (July 2, 2019)

MCU Phase 4

• Black Widow (July 9, 2021)
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (September 3, 2021)
• Eternals (Nov. 5, 2021)
• Spider-Man: No Way Home (Christmas 2021)
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (March 25, 2022)
• Thor: Love and Thunder (May 6, 2022)
• Black Panther 2 (July 8, 2022)
• The Marvels (Nov. 11, 2022)

SPOILER WARNING: This article contains spoilers for the last two episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. sure has come a long way since being the uneven first foray of the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the world of television. The series has long abandoned the constraints of the film series continuity and grown into something akin to Marvel’s own little Fast and Furious franchise, with a heavy focus on family and team dynamics while facing off against high-concept cosmic threats on a TV budget. This final season has really cut loose in that respect, offering up a time-hopping escapade that used S.H.I.E.L.D. history as a sandbox, allowing the show to revive Agent Carter favorite, Daniel Sousa (Enver Gnojak), and providing one hell of a hook in making us wonder what exactly happened to Fitz after the end of Season 6.

So the big question for the finale is whether it can stick the landing. Well, the answer is a big resounding… kinda. The final two episodes of the show are each solid entries for the series, but the latter of the two does end up feeling a bit rushed, leaving a lot of big ideas with insufficient room to breathe as the show catapults toward the climax.

‘The End Is At Hand’ feels like the proper mission-focused episode that we’ve come to expect from the agents. Sousa, Mack (Henry Simmons), and Daisy (Chloe Bennet) infiltrate the Chronicom ship to rescue the captured Jemma and Deke. Coulson (Clark Gregg), May (Ming-Na Wen), and Yo-Yo (Natalia Cordova-Buckley) are on the ground in The Lighthouse watching as every other S.H.I.E.L.D. base around the world is destroyed by Chonicom laser cannon fire raining down from space. It’s tense, hard-hitting stuff that hits no less hard for this last season taking place in a radically different timeline from the previous seasons. It feels like the end, and there’s gravity in that inevitability.

That didn’t prevent the episode from also flexing some of the show’s strongest comedic muscles. Sousa and Mack continue to show off their humorous chemistry with an effortlessness that feels like it should have developed over years rather than just a few episodes. Jemma’s (Elizabeth Henstridge) progressive memory loss due to the destruction of her brain implant, though tragic in its own right, is played for some lighthearted gags that use her confusion to propel the plot along.

Where the episode falters is in how it struggles to organically set up its climax. Though the sisterly confrontation between Daisy and Kora (Dianne Doan) is supposed to signal a change of heart for Kora, it feels less like a pull away from Nathaniel Malick’s (Thomas E. Sullivan) abusive influence than a switch flipped so that Kora finally understands what a moral compass is. If the writers were going to go through all the trouble of redeeming resident asshole John Garrett (Bill Paxton) enough to have him teleport Coulson, May, and Yo-Yo out of The Lighthouse and into the speakeasy, they could have shuffled him off to the mortal coil a little bit less undramatically than a random agent shooting him in the head on impulse.

But hey, at least the episode ends on a high note by finally teleporting Fitz in from the quantum realm, which apparently acts as a gateway between timelines now.

It’s just unfortunate that the final episode, ‘What We’re Fighting For’, doesn’t have the pacing to comfortably convey all that it needs to in a mere forty-two minutes. It starts strong with Deke’s (Jeff Ward) decision to sacrifice himself by staying behind to send everyone else back to the original timeline along with the Chronicom army. It’s a very satisfying evolution from Deke’s previous immaturity that results in him becoming the de facto leader of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the alternate Earth.

Things start to go off the rails, though, once the episode needs to take a breather to explain exactly where Fitz has been for an entire season. The explanation that they spent years developing time travel in the far reaches of space is itself just fine if a bit convoluted, as is the framing device of telling a story to help Jemma recover her lost memories. However, it feels like an episode all its own that was compressed as far as possible, likely due to Iain de Caestecker’s limited availability for shooting this season. Even though the ultimate payoff of eventually revealing Jemma and Fitz’s daughter puts a heartwarming bow on proceedings, it would have been nice for that plot to serve as more than a last-minute twist.

Thankfully, most of the rest of the agents get a real signature moment to shine, from Coulson smugly outwitting Sibyl (Tamara Taylor), to May fully embracing her empathetic powers to convert to invading Chronicoms into creatures with the capacity for friendship, to Mack getting to hold the shotgun-ax one last time. Even Kora, as ambiguously defined as her energy-based powers are, finally embraces Daisy’s influence and turns uses her powers against the Chronicoms.

It’s such a shame, then, that the confrontation between Daisy and Malick falls a bit flat. It’s supposed to feel like a big climactic quake-powered mirror match with the season’s big bad, but the fight mostly consists of the two waving hands at one another with minimal fight choreography, and Daisy’s apparent self-sacrifice feels pretty meaningless when Kora almost instantly revives her in the aftermath.

The finale shines brightest is in the final ten minutes, which just involves the main cast sitting in a holographic space together one year later, reminiscing and saying goodbye one last time before the credits roll. Though the contrivance that everyone survives and is just too busy to stage a coordinated reunion is a pretty weak loophole in Enoch’s prophecy that the team would never be in the same room again, it’s nice to get a chill moment that gives everyone’s character some much-needed closure. Frankly, this should have been the majority of the final episode, with the focus on action relegated to the first act to tie things up.

So the finale of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is far from perfect, but that’s a far cry from saying that it was a bad ending. On the contrary, I like most of the ideas and plot beats it presents, but it feels like it should have been presented over three or four episodes rather than crammed into two. But even if the final steps falter, I’m very happy to have stayed with this show for seven ridiculous seasons.

When we think of sprawling epics like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it's easy to forget about its smaller moving parts. But without the little details, the big doesn't matter. Sometimes the "small" elements can be the entire backbone of a franchise. Enter Margaret "Peggy" Carter (Hayley Atwell), and her wonderful little show that deserved much more than what it was given.

The short, two-season Agent Carter series embodies a constant streak of strong feminism, kickass action, and several fun tie-ins to the universe as a whole. We continue to see Peggy appear in major moments in the film epic not just because she's a love interest for Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), but because the character herself serves as a critical foundation for the greater universe as a whole.

Not only is she the reason Rogers was chosen for the super soldier serum, but she's also the key founder of S.H.I.E.L.D. and one of the primary reasons Howard Stark got his act together. That is to say that without Peggy Carter, there'd be no Captain America, Iron Man, Nick Fury, Ant-Man, Black Widow (at least the hero version), Hawkeye ... the list goes on. The Avengers exist because of Peggy Carter.

While the series wouldn't last long enough for the shambles of the Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR) to become S.H.I.E.L.D., we do get two full seasons of Peggy and Jarvis (James D'Arcy) desperately trying to whip Stark (Dominic Cooper) into shape. It may have never gotten the opportunity to go as far as it could, but the series does spend its entire runtime showing us exactly why Peggy's the right woman for the job.

Agent Carter What I loved

Marvel's Agent Carter follows Peggy's journey after Steve Rogers' Captain America is lost in the ocean. The Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR) hasn't yet shuddered, but things are a little more complicated for Peg as she heads to Brooklyn and no longer has a commander who believes in her.

While Captain America's legacy lives on, Agent Carter is reduced to a smitten damsel by way of an intentionally infuriating radio show. Unfortunately, her inaccurate depiction will be the least of Peg's worries as she finds herself carving her way in a sea of men who don't believe she's worth fetching their lunch, let alone running her own missions.

Thankfully, Peg makes more than a few friends along the way. The allies Peggy made within the SSR may have been invaluable, but none of them held a candle to the friends she made outside of the agency's walls. Jarvis wasn't just beloved because of James D'Arcy's incredible portrayal. He endeared himself to viewers by being Peggy's first and truest ally in a world of people who didn't believe in her. He would then maintain that fierce fan loyalty by sticking by her side in the messiest, most daunting of situations.

Peggy's circle would quickly grow to include a fierce foundation of female friends. Angie Martinelli (Lyndsy Fonseca) would set the bar immediately in the first season, offering a platonic spin on the hero/civilian trope that fans would miss in the show's second season (Fonseca was unable to return). Joining the incredible Ms. Martinelli are the wonderful Rose Roberts (Lesley Boone) and Ana Jarvis (Lotte Verbeek). Each one of these women brings something special to the series, whether it be Rose's building confidence, Angie's proud defiance, or Ana's kindness in the face of extreme adversity. Though the majority of them don't cross paths, each one plays a critical role in our protagonist's story.

Those are the nuts and bolts, but let's take a look at what makes the series tick.

Though often overlooked, Agent Carter also features some best-in-class writing, stellar fight choreography, and its fair share of factory explosions. Say what you will about small screen action, but there's an entire scene where Peg beats the crap out of a room full of enemies with a stapler. Plus, one later in the series where she does the same with a clipboard. Eat your heart out, John Wick!

When it comes to character development, there's never a moment when you don't believe that Hayley Atwell understands Peggy's plight. Atwell doesn't just go on record behind the scenes about how much she connects and relates to the character; she shows it on screen. She's as much the choice for Peggy Carter as Robert Downey Jr. is the choice for Tony Stark.

Frankly, the same can be said for James D'Arcy's Edwin Jarvis, who is currently the only television character to start on the small screen and move on to the big. That might seem like a minute detail to some, but tell that to the girl sitting next to me in Avengers: Endgame who burst into tears when Jarvis got out of the car. D'arcy's performance elevated Jarvis from butler, best friend, and eventual caretaker to a baby Tony. It turned him into a character so beloved that a five-second cameo could mean the entire world to fans.

A short run leads to missed opportunties

That very struggle is the foundation of what makes Agent Carter the beautifully important series that it is. "I know my value. Anyone else's opinion doesn't really matter," isn't just a tagline for the show. It became a rallying cry for women across multiple fandoms who so often find their opinions silenced, and it calmed fears as multiple political arenas fell to those who would happily quiet their voices. Creators always want their show to matter, but few have succeeded the way that Agent Carter does.

The show's worth doesn't just rely on its poignance. Though its run was short-lived, it managed to be quite the entertaining series in its tenure. It would show us the foundation of agencies like S.H.I.E.L.D., as well as explore foreign and domestic threats to the heroes that we would see pave the way for the Avengers.

Episodes like "The Iron Ceiling" brought back teams like The Howling Commandos, tying things further to Captain America and reminding us just how much his legacy lived on through his partners and Peggy. But episodes like this one never play out solely to use Steve's name to get more folks stoked to see more of Peggy. Though the Commandos may be our biggest MCU tie in, the lack of other costumed heroes or familiar cinematic heroes serves the series as a grounding point rather than a detriment.

Part of what makes that hit home is the idea that anyone can be a hero regardless of gender or a distinct lack of superpowers. Villains throughout the series have a technological advancement or superpower or two, but the protagonists needed to remain painstakingly human. In several notable instances, those heroes are given distinct societal disadvantages. Our headliner is a woman in the forties, Daniel Sousa (Enver Gjokaj) is a war vet treated like a liability, and Jason Wilkes (Reggie Austin) is a black man living in America before the Civil Rights movement.

Agent Carter Where it struggles

Wilkes is a great segue into the areas where things get a little bit rocky for the series. My complaints are certainly fewer than some. For instance, the special effects of Agent Carter were never an irritation point for me. They're often on-par or even superior to some of the earlier Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D episodes. It also feels silly to ignore the fact that the series aired on ABC. Expecting something on the small screen to match the overall quality of the MCU as a whole feels silly.

My one wish, outside of a longer series run, of course, is that the show featured more women of color. Though we do get focus on ladies of different shapes and sizes, the show remains incredibly white. The introduction of Jason Wilkes in season two was great! He's a compelling character who brings a lot to the table. But we never see any focus on the black experience.

Sexism ran (more) rampant in the forties, and ableism has always been a problem, but an episode acknowledging the issues people of color faced during the era would have gone a long way to make up for the predominantly white cast.

Agent Carter: Should you watch it?

This is all to say that Agent Carter deserved the run that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. received, and it remains a series that's well worth your time. If it'd run longer than its two seasons, it could have explored so many additional facets of the universe we now enjoy, a well as given us further insight into characters like Peggy, Howard Stark, and Edwin Jarvis.

Imagine a later story where The Howling Commandos cross paths with The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), or we watch that scoundrel Stark fall in love. Let's not even get into the fact that we were robbed of the story of Peggy and her brother!

It truly is a series that's fit for everyone. Whether you're in it for the action, the girl-power, the continuation of the SSR storyline, or you just really like watching Hayley Atwell beat people up with staplers, you're going to find something to love here. Criminally short-lived or not, you can find the series at any time over on Disney+. The show may have wrapped years ago, but the message it delivers finds itself to be, unfortunately, still incredibly relevant.

Nowadays, it's not unsual to assume new movie releases are available in 4K. Among those would be the Marvel Cinematic Universe films, but that's not entirely the case. Not every movie in the MCU catalog is available in 4K, or at least not yet.

In a recent interview with Collider , Captain Marvel producers Victoria Alonso and Jonathan Schwartz confirmed that Marvel will fix that by releasing every MCU movie in 4K.

"We are going to remaster all of our films in 4K," said Alonso. "We're in the process of doing that, so it's all happening."

Currently, only 13 of the 22 MCU movies are available in 4K. Almost every recent movie is available, but other titles like Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant-Man and Doctor Strange are missing from the list. Here's every MCU movie that is available in 4K.

• Ant-Man and the Wasp
• The Avengers
• Avengers: Age of Ultron
• Avengers: Infinity War
• Black Panther
• Captain America: The First Avenger
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier
• Captain America: Civil War
• Captain Marvel
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
• The Incredible Hulk
• Spider-Man: Homecoming
• Thor: Ragnarok

We should note that Avengers: Endgame is not available for purchase yet, but once it is later this year, it will be available in 4K.

Some of the most egregious movies missing from the 4K line-up are the Iron Man movies, which are among the most popular in the MCU. But don't fret, because all three Iron Man movies and the first two Thor movies will get the 4K treatment this summer.

If you want to pick up any current MCU movies in 4K or regular Blu-ray, you can do so. Here's where to buy every single MCU movie .

• Everything you need to know about Marvel Phase 4
• Everything you need to know about Avengers: Endgame